Working on a fairly complex automation for an HVAC unit, need help to make it cleaner

Configuration
1

So, I have the following automation and it is more or less doing what I want it to… But, I feel that the triggers could be stream lined. Particularly if I could combine above and belows into one trigger. I have tried and failed. I will post the entire automation first.

- id: kitchen ac master control
  alias: kitchen ac master control
  trigger:

# Value for cooling on people home
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      above: '79'

# Value for cooling no people home
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      above: '86'
      
# Value to switch to turn off
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      below: '70'

# Value to switch from cooling to fan only
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      below: '74'
        
# Value to switch from off to fan only
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      above: '73'

    - platform: state
      entity_id:
        - group.family
      to: "not_home"
      for:
        hours: 0
        minutes: 60
        seconds: 00
        
    - platform: state
      entity_id:
        - group.family
      to: "home"
      for:
        hours: 0
        minutes: 10
        seconds: 00
  mode: single
  action:
    - choose:

# Someone home and warm out - turn on and set normal temp.
        - conditions:
            - condition: numeric_state
              entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
              above: '79'
            - condition: state
              entity_id: group.family
              state: "home"
          sequence:
            - service: climate.set_temperature
              target:
                entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate
              data:
                hvac_mode: cool
                temperature: '76'
                
# Someone home but not cool enough to turn off and warm enough to move air.                
        - conditions:
            - condition: numeric_state
              entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
              below: '74'
            - condition: numeric_state
              entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
              above: '70'
            - condition: state
              entity_id: group.family
              state: "home"
          sequence:
            - service: climate.set_temperature
              target:
                entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate
              data:
                hvac_mode: fan_only
                temperature: '76'

# Cool out - turn off.
        - conditions:
            - condition: numeric_state
              entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
              below: '70'
          sequence:
            - service: climate.turn_off
              entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate
              
# Cool out - turn fan on.
        - conditions:
            - condition: numeric_state
              entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
              above: '73'
            - condition: state
              entity_id: group.family
              state: "home"
            - condition: state
              entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate
              state: "off"
          sequence:
            - service: climate.set_temperature
              target:
                entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate
              data:
                hvac_mode: fan_only
                temperature: '76'
                
# Nobody home and hot out - turn on and bump temp up.
        - conditions:
            - condition: numeric_state
              entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
              above: '86'
            - condition: state
              entity_id: group.family
              state: "not_home"
          sequence:
            - service: climate.set_temperature
              target:
                entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate
              data:
                hvac_mode: cool
                temperature: '80'
              
# Not hot and nobody home - turn off.
        - conditions:
            - condition: state
              entity_id: group.family
              state: "not_home"
          sequence:
            - service: climate.turn_off
              entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate

Now, onto my question. If I could combine the following triggers:

# Value for cooling on people home
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      above: '79'

# Value to switch from cooling to fan only
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      below: '74'

This pairing would remove lines and make sense, but I cannot seem to get above: and below: working in one trigger group. Of course, these would need to be “or’ed”. When I try something like this:

# Value for cooling on people home
    - platform: numeric_state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      above: '79'
      below: '74'

I get a very useless error when I attempt to reload automations. Now, I realize that the error is in part my fault becuase I use and load individual automation and other files.

Any help would be great.
Thanks Matt

2

Replace them all with:

  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: sensor.acurite_porch_f
      to:

This will trigger on any change of state. Then your choose action sorts out what happens. This will trigger a lot more often than your discrete triggers though.

3

Because according to the documentation for Numeric State Trigger:

Listing above and below together means the numeric_state has to be between the two values.

Your choice of values for above and below attempts to do the opposite (not between the two values).

4

OMG, that would trigger I bet every 2 to 5 seconds. These sensors count by .01 degrees. Not sure what that would do to my cpu load, may try it to find out.

5

Then stick with your discrete triggers. You asked how. That is how.

6

Nope, thanks. I just assumed that there may have been a better way to pull it off. I am pretty good at finding ways to make things work, but they are not always the most efficient.

7

Do you know if it is normal to require a temperature regardless of hvac_mode in order to change the mode?

In the below, I have to set a temp or the mode change to fan_only does not take.

          sequence:
            - service: climate.set_temperature
              target:
                entity_id: climate.12094627960958_climate
              data:
                hvac_mode: fan_only
                temperature: '76'
8

Nevermind… Looks like

climate.set_hvac_mode

Will do what I want, maybe. This is my first time working with a climate device, other than my smoker, so learning in progress.

Matt