Author: Hy Haddad

With tremendous advancements in technology, wireless lighting controls have been made available for you, to transform your home lighting into a convenient and energy saving system. The wireless lighting controls offer convenience since they let you control your lights from anywhere, even when you’re far away from home. How convenient would your life be when you have to be physically present in your home just to control your lightings?

What are wireless lighting controls?

Wireless lighting controls are smart devices that lets you control your home lighting system from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a smart hub that is connected to a network through which it communicates your commands to the wireless lighting controls. In other words, these lighting controls let you control your lighting system without having to physically or manually switch on/off the lights. Just by the touch of a button on your touch panel, you control your lights. How convenient could that be?

What are these wireless lighting controls?

There are wireless lighting control devices you could choose to transform your lighting system into a smart one. They include:

• Motion Detectors

When you want to control your security light so that they are lit when there is an intruder on your lawn, motion detectors is your best lighting solution. They work by detecting movements around them, which trigger them to switch on the lights linked or connected to them. When you install them, your security light will turn on, letting you know that someone is by the front door. You will then know what action to take.

• Occupancy and vacancy sensors

These wireless lighting control devices work by detecting or sensing the presence and absence of people, respectively. When you install them, they switch on the lights of the room that are occupied and leave those that aren’t. This saves you money since your monthly energy bills will reduce to significant levels. The occupancy sensors detect presence of you or any other family member in a room then switches on the lights. When the room has been vacated vacancy sensors detect absence of any human presence therefore switching off the lights automatically. When you go for a vacation and leave someone home, you don’t have to worry about them leaving some lights on for no reason.

• Timers and Dimmers

Timers are lighting control devices that switch on/off the lights at specific times, depending on how they have been scheduled. You can set them to switch on lights the moment dusk sets in and switch the same lights off when it dawns. You may also set the timers to switch off some lights such as your bedroom lights when you have gone to bed, or when you start sleeping.

Dimmers on the other hand are wireless lighting devices that work to control the brightness of your lights. Basically, they work to minimize your lights’ brightness thus saving you some energy bills.

You could also use voice command to control your lightings. Technologies such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant can also help you control your lighting just buy issuing voice commands.

Smart homes are those with automated home aspects such as lighting system, entertainment system and security system, just to mention a few. In today’s world, what could be automated in your home is seemingly endless. Even your grocery shopping can be automated and made possible with smart home appliances.

What is home automation?

Home automation is transforming your home into a smart home by integrating home aspects such as lighting system with smart lighting controllers which lets you control your lights just by the touch of a button; or by scheduling them to turn on or off using timers.  Other aspects that may be automated include your entertainment system, security system, safety system, water system and electric system.

Lighting controls you could buy for your smart home

Lighting controls are an integral part of home automation. There are tons of them in the market today. You only need to choose the right ones for your smart home; or have a professional lighting control installation expert do that for you.

What are some of the lighting controls you could buy?

• LED Dimmers

LED dimmers work by controlling the brightness of your lights. You can control the ambiance to the level you deem fit. If you want your lights to be dimed when they’re too bright, you can achieve that effect just by the touch of a button on your touch panel. You can also control the brightness of your lights even when you’re not at home, using smart hub that has an internet connection.

• Timers

Timers basically switch on or off your lights according to how they have been scheduled, without you having to worry about having to be physically present to switch on or off your lights. You can schedule them to switch on all lights at 6pm or any other time in the evening. You may also schedule them to switch off some of the lights like your bedroom lights immediately you go to sleep.

• Motion detectors

Motion detectors work by switching on the lights when triggered by motion. They are much suitable for outdoor security lights. When installed, they will turn on the security lights when someone trespasses thus, keeping intruders off. Motion detectors may also be integrated with the alarm and security system for top security within your home property. It is not limited to lighting system only.

• Occupancy and vacancy detectors

Occupancy sensors work by switching on the lights of the rooms that are occupied by a family member or family members. They basically sense the presence of people or a person and then switch on the lights and keep them on. When a room has been vacated, vacancy sensors take over by switching off the lights. They detect the absence and then switch off the lights. When these two lighting controls are put to work together, they achieve an amazing lighting control that you will fall in love with.

With so many lighting controls in the market, choosing the right one(s) could be overwhelming. But don’t worry. There are steps you can take that will guarantee you good lighting control devices for your home.

What steps should you take when making a purchase?

Before making lighting controls purchase, what exactly should you do so that you may buy the right lighting control system?

• Start with a plan

What lights in your home would you like linked with lighting controls you intend to buy? Planning what lights to automate is a crucial step when you are planning to but lighting controls. Different lights in a home may be controlled using different intelligent lighting control devices. For example, when you want to control your security lights, you may combine photo sensors and motion detectors to give you a more intelligent security lighting controls in your home.

Other lights such as living room lighting may be controlled with occupancy and vacancy sensors that switch on or off the lights depending on whether the room is occupied by someone or not.

• Be conversant with the Lighting control designs

Different lighting controls are designed differently so as to achieve a particular effect when connected to your lights. Knowing what exactly a particular lighting control does will help you decide on which ones to purchase. The design will also help you understand how they work. You will therefore know how they are controlled and what they do.

• Take into consideration the installation cost

There are lighting controls that you can install by yourself because they’re very simple to install. Others will require the services of a professional during their installations. Make sure you know the installation cost upfront before making a purchase. This will help you have a good financial planning during your purchase.

• Go for those that Support future upgrades

What’s the point of buying lighting controls which cannot be upgraded to the standards of the modern lighting controls in the market when you could actually buy those that are upgradable? There is nothing more devastating than buying lighting controls that cannot be upgraded when they become outdated.

Just work with a reputable company that provides lighting control devices and installation services when you are overwhelmed by availability of numerous lighting controls devices in the market. When you can’t work alone, seek a professional assistance.

Are you looking forward to reducing your monthly energy bills? If reducing your energy bills is your concern, then you should make sure that you install intelligent home lighting devices that will work towards achieving your goal of reducing your monthly energy bills. Reducing your energy bills isn’t just good for your pocket alone but also the environment as well. So, you should install intelligent home lighting devices which will impact you more positively than you thought.

What are some of the intelligent home lighting devices you could use in your home?

There are intelligent home lighting solutions for your high monthly energy bills. They include:

• Motion sensors

You don’t have to leave your outdoor security lights on the entire night anymore. Leaving them on throughout the night will only add more money to your monthly bills. With motion sensors installed in your home, your security lights will only turn on when an intruder trespasses into your front yard or backyard, thereby scaring him away. When there’s no motion on your lawn, they keep your security lights off. They only turn on the lights when triggered. This therefore helps you save money.

• Light Dimmers

Dimmers are also other intelligent home lighting solutions for your high monthly energy bills. They work by reducing the brightness of the lights in your home. You may control them to give the light ambience you deem fit. But, if your concern is to reduce your energy expense, then reducing the brightness of your home lights using light dimmers is a key step. Bright lights consume more electrical energy than dim ones.

• Photo Sensors

Photo sensors are smart lighting devices that may be used to control home lighting system. They control the lights depending on the time of the day or night. They basically detect presence of day light and automatically switch off all light connected to them. When the evening is approaching, they detect low lights then they switch on the lights connected to them. They are a perfect solution for your security lights since they can control the lights even when you are far away from home.

• Occupancy and Vacancy sensors

There is no point lighting rooms that are not occupied by any family member. Lighting rooms that are only occupied help reduce your monthly energy bills. When you install occupancy sensors, only rooms that are occupied by someone will be lit. The occupancy sensor detects presence of a family member thereby keeping the lights on. When a room is vacated, vacancy sensors come into play. They detect absence of people thereby automatically switching the lights off. Installing these intelligent home lighting devices ensure reduced monthly energy expenses as well as increasing your home security.