How To Set Up Smart Lighting at Home?

If you are building a smart home or thinking about upgrading your home to a smart home then you must start with lighting. Integrating a smart lighting technique into your home should be your first step. A smart lighting system helps you control the lighting of your home remotely or by using an app on your smartphone. A smart lighting system is going to make your life easy and environmentally friendly.

So, you must be thinking about “how to set up smart lighting at home?”, “which should be your first step in lighting your smart home?”. In this post, we are going to explain to you some basic steps to set up a smart lighting system in your home.

What is a smart lighting system?

Smart lighting is an advanced lighting technology that can interact with the users, environment, and other smart devices automatically. There are chips inside the smart lights so that they can communicate with other smart devices wirelessly. A smart lighting system can be connected to smart home assistants, various apps on smartphones, and other smart accessories. This helps you change the colors of the lights or control them automatically or with the help of a remote or by giving voice commands etc.

Importance of smart lighting system in your home

You can control the brightness of these lights, and switch off them according to your convenience, this saves energy and also reduces electricity bills.
You can easily change the colors and warmth of a smart light.
You can change the brightness level of the lights with dimming functionality.
You can program their actions according to your daily schedule.
You can also program them to switch on in the morning and switch off in the night.
You can easily group them to control them automatically in a group.

What are the factors to consider while installing a smart lighting system?

Cost:

Depending on the type, brand, and features that come with the product, the cost of lighting systems varies. You must consider the overall price of the lighting system according to your budget.

Environmental impact:

While selecting the smart lighting system for your home, make sure that the lights emit less heat and are environmentally friendly. This leads to a greener future. Generally LED lights produce no heat and are the perfect choice for a smart lighting system.

Energy Efficiency:

While buying a smart light always check the energy efficiency of that light. The lighting system which is highly energy efficient saves more energy, consumes less electricity, and thus reduces electricity bill.

Color temperature:

Choosing the correct color temperature for your lighting system is very important. Lights have varying temperatures and each area of your home needs LED lights of specific color temperature.

Brightness level and dimming capability: The brightness level of the lighting system is a key factor to consider during the selection of a lighting system. The brightness level of light is measured in lumens. Also, check whether the smart lights are dimmable or not. The dimming feature of a lighting system allows users to change the brightness level according to their mood and requirements.

Types of Smart Lighting Systems

Smart Light bulbs

This is the most affordable and simplest way to incorporate a smart light into a home. This is the best product, to begin with, if you are building a smart home.

The setup process of a smart light bulb is very simple. It is wireless. You just have to connect the smart bulb to an existing socket. And you can easily control these light bulbs with your smartphone. The smart light bulbs are connected with the smartphones either through WiFi or through Bluetooth. A wifi connected light bulbs can be controlled even if you are away from home. Whereas, you can control Bluetooth-connected light bulbs within a certain range.

There are various types of smart light bulbs available in the market such as standard LED bulbs, spotlight bulbs, candle bulbs, etc. You can also change the brightness of these lights with dimming features.

Smart Lighting strips

A smart lighting strip is an array of lights set on an adhesive backing that can be attached to any solid surface. These lighting strips can be cut down into required sizes and attached to the desired locations that has a solid surface. After that, you can control these lights by using your smartphone, remote, voice commands, etc.

These smart lighting strips can enhance your mood. So, these are used in gaming and entertainment systems. The lighting strips are ideal for bordering items to give them a classy and fashionable look. These lights are used in bordering large mirrors to enhance the look.

Smart Outdoor Lights

Smart outdoor lights are generally used to illuminate a specific outdoor area of a home or to create a beautiful ambiance. These lights are perfect for areas that need to be well-lit. These lights are also available in a wide range of colors. So, they are often placed in open large spaces, in plant beds, or at the center of the gardens to enhance the look of that area. These smart lighting systems are controlled using smartphones, remotes, or by using voice commands.

Smart Down Lights

A smart downlight is used to illuminate a large room with perfect brightness. This lighting system evenly distributes the light throughout the room. You can control these lights by using your smartphone when you are away from home. You can control the lights through voice commands. You can set schedules to switch it on and off automatically. You can also enhance the look of your room with its exceptional color contrast and wide range of available colors.

Smart Security Lights

A smart security light contains a motion sensor, a CCTV camera, and a 2-way audio. These lights are often used in backyards or gardens for security purposes. When the motion sensor in the smart security lights detects any movement the lights and camera automatically turn on. This also sends a notification to the homeowner’s smartphone, so that they can communicate with the intruder through a camera inside the house.

Smart Lamps

Smart lamps are generally used as bedside lamps or study lamps. With its dimmable feature, you can control its brightness level. These smart lamps add a classy look to a home.

Smart Accessories for Operating Smart Lighting Systems

Smart Switches:

Smart switches look like traditional light switches, but they have some built-in advanced features that allow the users to control the lights according to their needs. The users can set a schedule of when the lights should turn on / off by utilizing some advanced features like remote control capabilities, built-in motion sensors, and three-way switch support.

You can also use dimmable feature of these switches to easily control the brightness level of the lights. These switches are wirelessly connected to other smart devices such as Alexa, Apple Home Kit, Google Home, etc.

Smart switches are basically of two types, i.e. in-wall and out-wall switches. In-wall switches are wired ones that are more energy efficient, highly secured, and more reliable. The out-wall switches are battery-powered devices that can be easily installed and are cost-effective.

Smart Plug:

A smart plug can automate the operation of various household devices with its advanced features. These plugs look like conventional electric plugs. After plugging a smart plug into an outlet, you have to connect it to a Wi-Fi network by using a compatible app on your smartphone. Then simply plug any household device like a lamp, or a fan into it and you can easily automate the operation of these devices.

Motion sensors:

The motion sensors in smart lighting systems use motion detection technology. Whenever the sensor detects any movement it automatically switches on the light, camera, and alarm fixed in the system. Generally, motion sensors are used in security lights that help you detect any intruders coming to your house.

How to Connect Smart Lighting Systems to Mobile Apps?

Follow the below steps to connect the smart lighting system to mobile apps.

If your smart lighting system comes with a hub, connect the hub to the router.
Screw the smart bulbs into the light fixtures.
Download the mobile app corresponding to the brand of your smart bulb.
Pair the bulb with the app and give it a proper name such as “Bedroom light bulb” or “Kitchen light bulb”, etc.
Control the operation of the light bulb according to your requirements.

Conclusion

A smart lighting system adds a new life to your home. It brings comfort and convenience to your home. It not only gives a stylish look to your home but also helps in increasing your home’s security and reducing the electricity bill. A smart lighting system includes smart light bulbs, smart outdoor lights, smart security lights, smart lighting strips, downlights, etc. You can easily control these lights based on your needs and moods. A smart lighting system also comes with some accessories like smart switches, smart plugs, and motion sensors to make the system more efficient. So choose a smart lighting system and make your life easier.

FAQS

How to convert home lighting to smart?

You can easily convert your existing lighting system into a smart one. Nowadays there are many accessories available in the market such as smart plugs, smart light bulb adapters, smart switch converters, etc that can convert an ordinary bulb into a smart one. For example, after plugging in an ordinary light bulb in a smart plug, you can easily control its various operations.

2. Is smart lighting expensive?

Yes, smart lighting is a little more expensive than ordinary lighting. But it is worth it in the long run. It consumes less electricity and helps reduce electricity bills.

3. Do smart lights work with normal switches?

Yes, smart lights work with both normal switches and smart switches.