What our customers have to say: controlling your smart roller shutters from TaHoma app

In this new series of articles, we give the floor to our consumers, so that they can tell us how they control their Somfy and Velux roller shutters from the TaHoma home automation box. Today, André and Jean-Marc have agreed to answer a few of our questions.

André is 39 years old, and is the owner of a house that he had built 4 years ago in Seine-et-Marne. He lives there with his wife and daughter, and the family are expecting their second child. They have 11 windows equipped with Somfy roller shutters, and Velux roof windows in 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and an office.

Jean-Marc is 44 years old, and is the owner of a house in the Loire, which he had renovated in the 2000s. He lives there with his wife and two daughters. They have 7 Velux roof windows, two bay windows, and 9 windows with Somfy roller shutters.

Can you tell us how you use the TaHoma app on a daily basis?

André: I created several daily routines, for work, the weekend, the holidays etc. For a typical work day, for example, the roller shutters open automatically in all rooms in the morning, except in the bedrooms where they open a little later. In the evening, they close again when the sun goes down, except in our daughter's room, where they close a little earlier. What is particularly practical is that, in TaHoma, the integration of Velux roof windows functions in the same way as the io Somfy roller shutters fitted on the other windows: only the icon in the TaHoma app changes, it's so simple!

Jean-Marc: My devices are controlled autonomously, using the TaHoma app's schedule. I have a typical week for the winter: opening of the bay windows and skylight in the morning, the heating switches off between midday and two, and the closing of the shutters at sundown. I also have a typical week for the summer. Then the heating is switched off and the photovoltaic system takes over to add a little extra to the tank.

André: In the summer, a sensor tells the shutters to automatically close when the temperature and brightness limits are reached. Its rather magical, as the sun-exposed bedrooms beneath the roof and the large living room remain cool without you having to think about it!

Jean-Marc: In actual fact, it's a great help to me in managing the brightness in the lounge, where we have 2 large bay windows and 2 large and inaccessible skylights. The shutters open and close depending on the sun, which means you can give the plants some light in the morning, and protect them in the afternoon.

How do you control your devices?

André : At our house, everyone controls the devices however they like. Since voice assistants have been around, I use buttons a lot less. On the other hand, my wife uses the remote controls and the wall-mounted control point more. As for me, I stay at the end of my sofa and ask Alexa to do everything!

Jean-Marc: I have been using Alexa for two years, mainly from my bedroom. I tell her to get my day started, and all the shutters open. It's also handy for controlling less accessible devices, such as my roof windows. I also use it to pass messages to the children in the house, to call them to the table for example, as the house is very large. In fact, I practically never use switches: they are used mainly by guests, or if the Internet cuts out.

Do you have any other device-related projects lined up?

Jean-Marc: I would like to be able to link the brightness and temperature sensors to my weather station, and also add a pollution sensor that measures the air quality inside the home.

André: I would like to set up the automatic opening and closing of our Velux windows. Being able to manage the ventilation in the house also appeals. And a rain sensor would also enable the Velux windows to close automatically when it rains. I have already forgotten to close the Velux window in one bedroom when it was raining!

Thank you to André and Jean-marc for having taken the time to answer our questions - we hope this new article format is to your liking! Hear what other customers have to say.