This piece will outline the uses of smart yard lights as well as the different aspects to consider when sourcing. As technology continues to develop, this type of lighting has become particularly popular, meaning there are more options to consider and more incredible ways of implementing this new technology in your own home.
As you will see in the following sections, there are many reasons to have smart lighting installed and many ways to make the most of its applications.
What is smart yard light?
Smart yard lighting combines technology and traditional outdoor lighting, creating all-new ways to make the most of the outside of your home, whatever atmosphere or functional purpose you are looking to achieve.
The addition of smart lighting in a yard can enable remote lighting control even when you are away from your home, scheduling, easy dimming and even hands-free, voice controlled activation.
Smart yard lighting is also compatible with other devices, enabling many functionalities and ways to operate your yard lighting.
What are the benefits of smart yard lights?
Smart yard lights are introduced to simplify your life, often bringing convenience, security or being used for decorative purposes in your yard or garden. The specific benefits of smart lighting being used in the yard depend on people’s individual reasons for installation and type of usage.
Some of the biggest benefits that smart yard lights can include are:
Remote lighting control
You are able to control and activate smart lighting when you are not at home, meaning it can be used to deter unwanted visitors, create desired effects and be operated from afar. Even better, if you’ve ever wondered whether you remembered to turn the lights on or off, after you’ve left the house, this is no longer an issue as you can do whatever you need from wherever you are.
Reduced energy use
With the option to activate smart lighting through mobile devices, voice assistants or even movement sensors, lights are not left on unnecessarily. Because of this, bulbs are only activated when they are needed and this can work to save energy.
Scheduling and automation of lighting
Create your perfect smart yard lights sequence, turning specific bulbs or entire groups on and off as you wish, setting automation patterns so it happens without you needing to do anything. This can be set on timers which can be adjusted, meaning you can enjoy all the benefits without needing to manually control it whatsoever.
Hands-free, voice control activation
You can activate and control smart lighting with ease, however busy you are. It’s up to you how you wish to control your lights, meaning if you have a voice assistant, you can do this vocally. Gone are the days of having to walk over to a light switch... you can activate your yard lighting the smart way, while eating, feeding the baby, sitting on the sofa or even lying in bed.
Easy dimming
You can dim smart lighting in a way that suits you, choosing how much you wish to dim a specific bulb or even multiple smart bulbs if they are grouped together. However you choose to link your smart yard lights, whether it’s through voice activation, a smart switch or an app, you can have the ability to choose exactly how bright you want the lighting to be, or how much to dim it, without needing to walk over to a switch if you don’t want to.
Temperature, motion and ambient light activation
Unsurprisingly, smart lighting is smart. It can activate to set schedules and patterns, based on specific triggers, while interlinking with other smart devices. These triggers can include the likes of light sensors, movement detectors and temperature gauges. It’s completely up to you if you choose a smart lighting system which facilitates these triggers, as well as the ways it works with your systems, voice assistants or other devices, however the option is available should you wish to use it.
What kinds of smart yard lights are available?
Smart Bulbs - Smart bulbs are the easiest, most simple way to enhance your yard with smart lighting. They are quick to install, as all you need to do is replace your existing yard light bulbs with smart bulb alternatives. Because of the simplicity of installation, smart bulbs can also be the cheapest, most cost-effective way to combine technology with your outdoor lighting.
There are many types of smart bulbs available on the market, coming in various colors, levels of brightness, types of fitments and shapes. It is important to understand the type of smart bulb that is best suited to your needs, as there are so many choices to consider.
A large number of smart bulbs are able to connect directly with your internet router or phone through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, enabling remote access. There are also others such as Zigbee-type systems, which require a hub being connected to your router, being compatible with the likes of Amazon Echo Plus, the Phillips Hue Bridge and the Wink smart hub.
Smart bulbs are also available which are designed to withstand inclement weather, so if your bulb will be exposed to rain, damp or the cold, it can be a good idea to invest in a bulb that is designed to withstand this kind of weather. These can range from regular sized bulbs to smaller ones and even floodlight style bulbs such as the Philips Hue weather-rated floodlight and the HomeBrite Bluetooth floodlight.
The last point to know about smart bulbs, but certainly not least, is that they can create many different effects in your yard. From colour-changing bulbs to bright white or LED bulbs, you have an enormous choice of lighting appearances to choose from. There are some that are designed specifically to reduce energy consumption and keep the cost of lighting low, while others are designed to light an entire garden and be as bright as possible.
Smart light switches – Another part of smart lighting is the smart switch. This can be placed either inside the home or outside if preferred. A smart light switch can create an entirely new way to activate a smart switch, with options to have either a simple on/off switch or a dimmable one. A smart light switch can also be interlinked with voice assistance such as Google Home and Amazon’s Alexa, as well as phone apps on Apple and Android devices.
Many smart switches have voice recognition built in, or even have the ability to sense the amount of light, activating when they sense certain, specified levels of light, or turning on at specific times set via automation and set schedules.
The main reason why a smart light switch can be a vital part of a yard’s smart lighting system is that it can facilitate numerous ways of operating your yard lighting, being used to control individual lights, or even groups.
Smart fixtures - Smart fixtures can bring the ultimate lighting experience by securing smart yard lights safely to the likes of walls and fences, protecting your lighting from damage. These create the opportunity to make the most of your yard lighting and access all possible features. A smart fixture can mount a single bulb next to a rear property door or even be a floodlight fixture, positioned to activate if any movement is sensed in the front yard.
As well as aligning your smart lighting to face exactly where you need it to, smart fixtures can also have the ability to move, rotating or even be motion-activated. With the option to automate movements or have the fixtures linked to smart lighting and even cameras that activate at the same time as motion-sensitive yard lighting, there are countless ways to optimize your yard lighting using a smart fixture.
Path lighting - There are many examples of smart lighting that can work in your yard without the need to be attached to the wall of a house. There are more smart options for path lighting than ever before. An example of this is the Sylvania Gardenspot starter kit, available on Amazon, that offers multi-coloured lighting which it both attractive and functional. It is worth noting that these require a hub from the likes of SmartThings or an Amazon Echo Plus to enable remote control of them. Smart path lighting can be controlled remotely or be linked to sensors, meaning they can be used to light the way for safety, as a security measure, deterring unwanted visitors, or for decorative purposes.
Security lighting - Another use of smart yard lights is security lighting. You can link smart bulbs and lighting systems to be activated with movement sensors, also triggering alerts on in-home systems or on mobile devices, to warn users if a security light has been activated. As well as bringing increased security advantages, these lights can give peace of mind when you are away from your home or on holiday, only activating when required.
What should I look for when sourcing smart yard lights?
The first thing to look for when sourcing smart lighting is to know what your requirements and specifications are before you start. You should know where you plan to place the lighting in your yard and the features you would like your lighting to have.
By knowing this, you can source options that meet your requirements, helping you to achieve the objectives you set out to reach. After all, with so many great examples of smart technology, it can be easy to become distracted, ending up spending huge amounts of money on something that is not necessary, and may not even have the specific attributes you need.
Have a budget in mind when sourcing your lighting, thinking about energy usage and the cost to invest versus the benefits, making sure you are looking at options within your price range. If required, take time to properly look at the various options within your budget, as well as looking at what investing slightly more money can bring you and determining whether this could be a good idea to have top of the range yard lighting.
That’s the basics of smart yard lights covered, so the next step is to go and have fun browsing and sourcing from the options available. Remember to think about what you are looking to achieve with your smart lighting and enjoy finding the perfect option to do this.
