There are over 175 million smart homes worldwide, but is yours one of them? The journey to a smart home begins with a simple step – automate lights! Curious about how to automate lights at home and join millions in enjoying the benefits of a smart home? Omwave is here to get you started!
The way we illuminate our homes has come a long way since the days of gas lamps and candles. For the last century and more, electric bulbs have been the standard for illuminating our homes. But now we are on the cusp of a new lighting revolution – led by smart illumination.
Smart bulbs are an emerging technology that offers several benefits over traditional bulbs, including energy efficiency, cost savings, security, and increased convenience. One of the most exciting features of smart bulbs is that you can automate them in various ways. You can program your bulbs to turn on and off at specific times, have them react to certain triggers like motion or sound, or even control them while you are away from home. Furthermore, automating your home can improve the value of your house. A survey by Coldwell Banker Real Estate found that 72% of millennials would part with more pocket for a property equipped with smart fixtures.
In this article, we will show you how to automate lights in home and start enjoying all these benefits.
Options to Automate Lights
Are you wondering how to automate lights in home and what you need to get started? There are many options available to automate lights. Some involve a complete overhaul of your lighting system, while others involve making small substitutions to what you currently have. Below are some of the most popular options.
Light Switches
One of the easiest and cheapest ways to get started with lighting automation is to change your old-fashioned light switches to smart ones. Without changing the bulbs in your house, smart light switches allow you to automate and remotely control your existing bulbs. Bulbs connected to the same switch can be programmed on schedule, in response to a voice command, or controlled remotely through a mobile app.
Smart Bulbs
While changing switches gives you a great degree of automation, substituting your light fixtures with smart bulbs gives you a lot more functionality. With smart bulbs, you can play around with brightness and color giving your home more character. The brightness of your bulbs can be adapted to the amount of illumination coming through your windows, thereby extending your energy saving. Moreover, smart bulbs can be individually controlled, unlike switches which control all bulbs connected to them in the same way. Plus you get all the automation that smart switches have to offer.
Light and Motion Sensors
Connecting daylight and motion sensors to your existing lighting circuits can turn your old bulbs into smart bulbs. For example, you can set your outdoor bulbs to turn on when the sun goes down, and vice-versa when the sun comes up. As for the indoors, the illumination in your toilets, pantry, and similar rooms can be set to turn on when someone walks into the room only. Now you do not need to put your groceries down to illuminate the pantry. Convenience!
Smart System Creating
To automate lights in the house, one needs to build an intelligent system that comprises several components. So what is the best way to create your automated lighting system? Here are a few ideas to help you create your system.
The first step is to choose suitable bulbs for your system. Do you want to go with smart bulbs or standard bulbs? As alluded to earlier, smart bulbs give you more functionality without complicating the setup of your smart lighting system.
If you choose standard bulbs, then you will need sensors and actuators. Sensors take input from your surrounding that will be used to decide when to turn on or turn off the lights. They include daylight, motion, and voice sensors. Actuators, on the other hand, act to switch the bulbs on and off. A good example is an automated switch which can be programmed to respond to sensors, or scheduled to operate the lights. Smart bulbs seldom need switches as they come equipped with that functionality already. They may also have inbuilt sensors, so be sure to read what it says on the box.
Now that you have your bulbs, sensors, and actuators, you need a brain that handles communication between the different components. Enter the smart hub. A smart hub links your bulbs, light switches, lighting circuits, and sensors. It acts as the processing unit for all your automation, takes input from sensors, and sends commands to your bulbs.
Finally, you’ll need to connect your system to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Once everything is up and running, you’ll be able to control your lights from your smartphone or tablet and even over the internet. You’ll also be able to take advantage of features like voice control and integration with other smart home devices.
Replace Common Wall Switches With Smart Switches
While switches are an essential part of any home, they can also be a point of inconvenience. If you have ever fumbled in the dark trying to turn a light on, then you know the struggle. But what if there was a way to make switches more intelligent and user-friendly?
Smart switches are a great way to upgrade your home’s switches and make your life a little bit easier. You can control these intelligent switches with your voice, a mobile app, or even a simple tap. And best of all, they’re relatively easy to install and use. So if you’re looking for a way to make your home a little more convenient, consider replacing your standard wall switches with smart switches.
Final Words
Now that you know how to automate home lighting, it is time to take action and join millions of homeowners worldwide in upgrading to an automated home with automated illumination. We can make this whole process easier and faster for you. Get in touch with Om Wave today! Let us help you take your home into the future.