Get Smart About Lighting
Imagine being able to set the mood for your evening by changing the lighting, music and temperature just by touching your smartphone or tablet. Imagine lights with automatic dimmers that let you set the mood without having to touch a switch. So-called smart technologies have made our homes, and offices more efficient in many ways, especially when it comes to lighting.
If you’ve thought about new lighting systems for your home or business, you have a number of options. There are exciting trends in smart lighting solutions that will create the perfect backdrop to the rooms of your home and its furnishings while saving you time and money. In this post we will share some of the obvious benefits to adding smart lighting to your property.
Benefits of Smart Lighting
- Peace of mind: you’ll never wonder if you left a light on by mistake, or if you remembered to switch on an outdoor security light
- Convenience: change your home’s lights from any location
- Ease of use: for elderly and disabled people, using one keypad can be easier than figuring out a lot of different buttons and switches
- Safety: better lighting means better security
- Energy efficiency: use only what you need
- Resale value: homebuyers are attracted to smart home solutions
How It’s Done
Smart lighting systems can either be hard-wired to your home’s electrical grid or set up to run wirelessly with your homes WIFI platform. An alternative to a complete overhaul is to buy standalone units. These plug into existing wall outlets, are less costly and will provide many of the same convenience.
Whichever option you choose, your best bet for installing a smart lighting system is an experienced electrical contractor. This is not a typical DIY job.
Some Smart Lighting Options
Automatic dimmers: These let you control the level of light in individual rooms wirelessly. Because this is a fairly straightforward, affordable technology to install and use, wireless dimming is a great way to start experimenting with smart lighting technologies. Some lightbulbs may not be compatible with wireless dimming and you may have to buy specially-made bulbs.
Smart security: Motion-sensor lighting is not new but it has come a long way. Now you can fully customize your lights, and some new ones even run when the power goes out.
Smartphone control: Many standalone systems can hook up to a central hub that lets you control all of your lighting through your smartphone or tablet. Your electrical contractor can show you how to set this up and use it.
Colored lights: One of the top five lighting trends for 2016. Smart lighting systems allow you to change the colors of your home’s lights easily.
Scene lighting: This is an automated way to change your home’s lighting to suit the time of day, activities and mood that you’re trying to match.
For instance, if you’re planning a quiet evening reading at home, you can set the lights to lower in all the rooms except your reading light. You can automate music, temperature and lighting together to create the perfect setting for a dinner party, movie night or children’s party. Your electrical contractor will work with you to set up a smoothly working system and you’ll have fun creating different lighting scenes.
Putting it Together
If you’ve gotten some good ideas about your future lighting plans, your next step is to call a contractor. At Southern Electrical Service Company, we have the knowledge and experience to create an automated home lighting system that will work flawlessly for you. Our focus on our customer’s needs, and our commitment to excellence, are unmatched and you’ll see why we’re rated one of the top electrical contractors in Virginia.
A smart home is a joy to live in. You’ll enjoy greater security and more energy efficiency. You’ll create a home that is always the perfect setting, night or day. Call us today and get started on a bright new future for your home.