Why Would You Want Home Lighting Control?

It’s All in the Scenes

What’s residential lighting control all about, and why might you want it?  It can do many things in your home. Admittedly, you might find it frivolous in one respect - do you really need automation for your lights? After all, you can always flip a switch, or slide a dimmer up and down. Indeed, some interior designers might specify dimmers in their electrical plans for almost every room but might not think about lighting control. 

We know smart technology is being imbued into all manner of products, even lowly kitchen appliances. Lighting control is actually one of the most requested for smart home features, and is also one that is easy to justify as more than a luxury. In commercial environments, from offices to warehouses, lighting control is used extensively for efficiency, worker comfort and productivity, as well as to extend equipment life. In your Wilmette, IL residence, lighting control can bring those same benefits - and a little luxury that you won’t mind as well

Read on to see why residential lighting control simply makes sense, and learn about the killer lighting control feature that will really win you over.

SEE ALSO: How Many Ways Can You Control the Lights in Your Home?

Increased Energy Efficiency

Being green is not just good for the environment; it saves some green, too. Lighting control can curb wasted energy in various ways. With precise dimming control, you only need to use as much illumination as you need. Why have an area more brightly lit than it needs to be? Lighting control makes it easy to set a schedule for lights. You might want your outside lights on a timer or from dusk to dawn in certain seasons. With lighting control, that's easy to automate. 

Enhanced Safety

A well-lit home is more likely to deter wrongdoing. You can leave lights on manually, but that might waste energy and make your home unnaturally lit, which might also attract unwanted attention. Lighting control systems - like those from Control4 - can turn lights on and off in a natural pattern that simulates the lighting as if you are home. Control4 calls it by an apt name: Mockupancy.

Sheer Convenience

With lighting control, you can check on the status of a light or rooms of lights from anywhere. A smartphone app can turn lights on and off remotely. It's a convenience when in the house and could be a safety device while you're away. Lighting control helps you manage lights without having to control the physical light switch.

The Killer Feature - Scenes

Aside from what we discussed above, Avidia believes the “killer app” of lighting control is scenes. This is the ability to program a set of lights of your choosing - outside, inside, or both, to precise levels, and choose when to make them go on and off. For example, a “cooking” scene lights up your kitchen the way you like - range lit, island lights bright, under-counter lights on, pantry lit as well. When it's time for dinner, only essential kitchen lights remain on, and your eating area can be lit with a soft glow like a good restaurant. For entertaining, you can dim bedrooms, light your living areas appropriately, and illuminate the powder room and the way to it.

Beyond lighting, scenes carry additional power when combined with other smart home features. When you leave home on a hot summer day, your lights can automatically turn off, your thermostat can go up a few notches to limit the air conditioning, and your motorized shades can lower to filter the hot afternoon sun, keeping your house cool and efficient. When you return, the process can reverse automatically as well, without you missing a beat.

Let Avidia show you the power of residential lighting control for your Wilmette home. Call us at (847) 868-9200 to get in touch, fill out our contact form, or use our chat box below to connect immediately with one of our experts. We look forward to serving you.