A very good friend of mine who works in IT has for years spent a lot of time and energy re-wiring switches and outlets, and even more than 20 years ago the actual wiring in his home so he could control the lights and sound system from his computer. He would even spend hours programming elaborate lighting schemes that he could adjust either through his computer or a remote control he keeps on his coffee table in the living room. While I have always thought this technology was really cool, personally it was too much time, energy, and money for me to get excited enough about to invest in.
Well, things have changed! With the advent of LED lights and ever smaller processing technology, one can now have lights and settings that are easy to install and easy to manipulate with one’s smartphone. Using my “extra time” while staying home during our current pandemic, I have purchased a few lightbulbs with smart technology and installed them in my home. I live in a house built in 1934 and rewiring or replacing the fixtures, outlets, and switches seemed daunting. But, a step ladder and a few turns of the bulb, I now have lights in key areas of my home, such as inside the side door to the kitchen and the landing at the top of the stairs that turn on with a simple, “Siri, I’m home!” No more walking into a dark house, late at night.
I also have some older lamps that I really love that sill use halogen bulbs. Since I am not yet ready to get rid of these lamps and I haven’t been able to find LED smart bulbs to use in them, I purchased some smart adaptors that plug into my ancient outlets and then the lamp plugs into these and voila, I am able to add these lamps to my Siri controlled light settings.
Just search for products that say they are Apple Home Kit or Android compatible, and you’re well on your way to automating your home.
