What is the difference between an average home and a remarkable one? That depends on the homeowner. But if you are into landscaping and exterior lighting, you can make your average home remarkable by adding automation to the equation. Automated outdoor lighting can completely change the game.
Modern smart home technology makes it entirely possible to automate every aspect of your exterior landscaping space. For example, both lighting and irrigation can be fully automated to the point that you never have to think about them again.
It’s all made possible with the use of sensors and electronic timers. Where automated lighting is concerned, you can even program different scenes based on time of day, season, or even special holiday events.
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Hire a Professional
As with just about everything in the home automation space, there are a couple ways to attack automating your outdoor lighting. The first is to hire a professional to install the system for you. Within this option there are two other choices as well:
- New Installation – If you don’t have any exterior lighting at the current time, you can hire a contractor to come in and install a complete system from the ground up. Your options for customization are nearly unlimited.
- Existing Installation – If you already have outdoor lighting installed, you can hire a company like Vivint Smart Home to automate your lights. A Vivint technician would also show you how to program and maintain the system.
The advantage of hiring a professional is knowing that the job will be done right. Of course, the caveat here is hiring a competent professional. That is where online research and reviews really help.
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Handle the Installation Yourself
Some people appreciate smart home technology as a hobby. They do their own installations simply because they enjoy the thrill and challenge. They are less interested in what is being installed and more interested in learning how to do the installation correctly.
The obvious implication here is that you could handle the installation all by yourself. Again, you can build a complete automated lighting system from the ground up or automate the lights you already have installed.
Motion-Sensitive Lighting
The most basic form of DIY automated lighting is the motion-sensitive light fixture. Good fixtures are a dime a dozen these days. Many of them are solar powered. You mount the solar collection panel, connect it to the light fixture, and then mount the sensor. Solar power keeps an internal battery charged. At night, the light automatically goes on when motion is detected.
Programmed Outdoor Lighting
A more challenging DIY automated lighting project is installing a programmable system. You can do a lot with programming if you are willing to take the time to learn how it works.
For example, a traditional lighting scene could be programmed so that all your lights turn on at dusk and then back off again at dawn. You could get more advanced by programming certain landscaping lights to go on and off at regular intervals. With LED bulbs, you can also program different colors.
You could break your exterior system into several zones; say one for the front yard, another for the back, and a third for the patio. Then you could program a separate patio scene for you and your family when you entertain. With just a phone tap or an audio command, you light up the patio perfectly.
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Think of the Possibilities
Think of the possibilities that come with automating your outside lighting. Thanks to the latest home automation technology, you can make your average home remarkable with some affordable lighting automation.