Smart homes are all the rage, with numerous benefits such as convenience and energy saving. Most people automate their home interiors but neglect the outdoor, not for lack of alternatives, but mostly pure disinterest.
Today you have many smart lighting options available for decoration, security, or convenience. Whether you want color-changing lights to decorate your yard, motion-sensor lights that are synced with your security, or lights you can control via your smartphone. Some of the smart lighting options you have are:
1. Smart Bulbs
The easiest way to make your outdoor lighting smart is to change all your dumb bulbs to new smart ones that are cloud-connected and have in-built radios designed to sync with your smart home network. If you choose to use this smart lighting system, you will discover there are many affordable options, including bulbs that connect with your router or smartphone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
If the location of the outdoor bulb is sheltered from the elements, you can pick any bulb. If exposed to snow or rain, the bulb has to be weather-rated.
2. Smart Switches
You can choose not to tamper with the bulbs, and instead, make your dumb switches smart. You have plenty of options with smart switches that can dim lights, in-built voice assistants, or switches with support for various platforms.
If you do not want to spend much, the basic models offer simple on and off functions. For a little extra cash, you can buy options that feature in-built motion or temperature sensors, and in-built voice controls.
One of the things you need to remember while deciding whether to change your bulbs or switches is that the bulbs only operate if there is power. You have to remember to leave the light switch on all the time. With smart switches, however, they are hardwired to work even when switched off. Your remote controls still work whether the switch is on or off.
3. Smart Fixtures
If you are willing to switch to using a smart lighting system, you can consider replacing all your home’s exterior fixtures with smart ones. This gives your lighting system set up a more built-in and premium feel. For instance, if you have fitted floodlights, you can swap them for smart floodlights fitted with a high-definition camera (night vision), which you can monitor and control from your smartphone.
This venture may cost you a little bit more, but doing this will slowly turn your home into a smart home little by little. Waiting to do a major makeover will cost you thousands of dollars, so doing bit by bit will save you the hassle of having to cater for the cost at once.
4. Path Lights
Some light fixtures’ design does not allow them to be bolted down such as path lights. Many attractive path lighting options include solar-powered path lights that do not need extension cables. If you need to upgrade, there are dozens of smart path light alternatives.
Some of the path lights are aesthetic and color-changing and use Bluetooth or Zigbee, and you will need a hub for the latter. You can use your smartphone to remotely control these lights, which come in handy when you have guests in your backyard.
Conclusion
Smart homes are convenient and save you a lot of money in energy bills. You can easily light up your home from anywhere in the world, which deters burglars. Motion sensor lighting systems sense any movement, and you can control the size of the object that triggers the light.
You can change your home into a smart one bit by bit, rather than incur the full expense of changing the whole system. Start by changing small things like light bulbs, switches, fixtures, and path lights. Shop around for options and check for the features offered. Some smart lights are solar-powered, some controlled by Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or Zigbee, some need hubs while some do not. Investigate your options before buying anything.
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