Published May 2, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT Jonathon Jachura is a mechanical engineer with over 12 years of HVAC industry experience who specializes in translating complex home systems into practical advice for everyday homeowners. His background spans technical sales and product management for major manufacturers, combined with hands-on experience as a two-time homeowner who has tackled everything from system installations to troubleshooting repairs. Jon focuses on helping readers make confident decisions about their homes through clear, actionable guidance that saves both time and money. Buying a hub feels like the right first move. One device to manage everything, a single control point for your whole house. That logic made sense a decade ago. It mostly doesn't anymore — and defaulting to it before you've figured out your ecosystem is one of the more expensive setup mistakes you can make . I built my current home setup without a dedicated hub, and it's been more reliable than anything I've run before.…