Welcome
What is this documentation for?
This documentation provides information about our home and property.
It seeks to explain
- the various systems here,
- the devices that make up those systems,
- and the area in which each of those devices exists.
- How the systems operate normally, and
- what to do when something isn’t working as expected.
The goal is not to document everything in extreme technical detail, but rather the ‘important’ systems, in just enough detail to make our environment understandable, maintainable, and recoverable by someone who did not build it, without overwhelming the reader.
That is a tall order. As this effort only started in February 2026, there is very little information here right now. Hopefully, what you need to know will be here before you need it.
How the documentation is organized
The first thing to know is how to navigate the documentation to find what you need. There are many links within this document. Links are shown in blue text. If you select a link, another page will open that has more detailed information about the concept or thing the link represents. This is not at all unlike pretty much everything you see on the internet, using your favorite browser, just as you are now.
This document is organized into sections. Each section contains a hierarchy of folders. Within each folder representing
- Systems — Collections of closely related stuff that work together to deliver utility.
- Devices — The components of a system, that’s part of a system.
- Areas — Our property is divided into named spaces you’re likely familiar with.
Documentation scope
This documentation seeks to provide information about:
- The property
- The primary building on the property, aka the duplex
- Everything in and around the duplex
- Everything connected to it, e.g., all the stuff hung on the outside walls
- Things in the yard, whether they are above or buried below ground.
Having trouble using the documentation?
If something here is confusing, incomplete, incorrect, or just hard to follow, that is a documentation problem—not a reader problem. If you have any issues, please let me know. You can simply talk to me about it, or, if you want to increase the odds that I will actually do something about it, please open an issue on GitHub, in the repository where the source of this documentation is maintained.
Where to Start When Something Is Broken
If something is not working and you are not sure where to begin:
- Identify which system is affected (power, internet, water, etc.)
- Go to that system’s Overview page
- Look for sections titled “Failure”, “Recovery”, or “What to Check First”
- Follow steps in order
- Stop if anything feels unsafe or unclear
This documentation is not intended to replace professional help when it is needed.
How This Documentation Evolves
This documentation is a living system.
It should be:
- Updated when systems change
- Corrected when something is unclear
- Expanded when a missing explanation causes confusion
A Note on Credentials and Secrets
Passwords, secret keys, and sensitive credentials are not stored here.
Instead, this documentation explains:
- Where credentials are stored
- How to access them safely
- What they are used for
This separation is intentional.