Private AI Home Assistant and Smart Home Setup in Detroit

Two seasons that matter for a Detroit house

Detroit winters are cold. On an average 44 days a year the temperature never rises above freezing, and on about four days it drops to zero or below. Snow, averaging around 42 inches a season, usually falls between mid-November and early April. Summers bring frequent thunderstorms, and heavy rain can overwhelm the system fast: in late June 2021 some parts of Detroit got an estimated 6 inches, freeways flooded and basements across the area took on water.

The housing stock is older, too. Pre-war neighborhoods mix wood-frame and brick houses, while places like Indian Village, Palmer Woods and Boston-Edison have larger homes and mansions. Old basements, older plumbing and big houses with rooms nobody checks every day are where problems start quietly.

What the assistant watches for

• Basement water. Sensors at the floor drain, sump pit, water heater and laundry text you as soon as water shows up, so a downpour at 2 a.m. doesn't become a ruined basement by morning.
• Cold rooms and pipes. Temperature sensors in the basement, crawl spaces and along outside walls warn you when a room heads toward freezing, which matters most on those sub-zero nights.
• Heat that quietly stops. If the furnace or boiler stops keeping up, the thermostat and room sensors show it, and the assistant tells you before the house gets cold.
• Everyday life. The same assistant runs your calendars, reminders and the house: "Lock up and turn the porch light on at 10" by text.

When nobody is home

Many problems in an older Detroit house happen while it's empty: a winter trip, a house between tenants, or a family home you look after for a parent. The assistant is most useful then. It can send a short daily "all normal" message, or stay silent and only text when something is wrong, whichever you prefer. You can give a neighbor or relative limited access so they get the same leak alert and can let a plumber in, without seeing your calendar or email.

It won't stop water by itself unless there's a shutoff valve to close, and it doesn't replace a sump pump battery backup or a plumber. What it does is shrink the time between a problem starting and someone knowing about it, which is where most of the damage happens.

Remote setup for Detroit homes

We start with a video walk-through of your house, your router and the devices you already own, then agree a fixed price. We ship a hub that's already configured; you plug it into your router, and over a video call we connect your accounts and compatible devices, build routines and set up texting for everyone in the household. If you want new switches or an automatic water shutoff valve, your own electrician or plumber can install them to our spec, or we quote a travel install. Every setup includes a separate network for smart devices, so a cheap plug can't see your laptop.

Choosing a tier

Most homes start with Private Cloud, from $4,995: the hub runs your house locally, and the AI runs on an open-source model on a private server we operate in a U.S. data center, with no conversation logs and nothing sent to big AI companies. Private Home, from $24,995, adds a dedicated AI computer in your house so nothing leaves it and the assistant keeps working through an internet outage. See how the private AI assistant works, and our guide to freeze, leak and power alerts for a sensor checklist.

Start with a walk-through

Use the walk-through form or email hello@kotohhome.com. We reply within one business day.