Is Smart LED Lighting Worth It?

Light bulbs have become more than just lighting fixtures. Today’s generation of “Smart” LED lights offers more features that go beyond merely generating light, and now include the ability to change colors, connect with your local Wi-Fi network, play music, and follow schedules to automatically switch on and off.

While these features are cool and all, what exactly do you get when you install smart LED lighting in your [city] home?

Smart Bulbs Are Easy to Install

A major concern people have about switching to smart LEDs is installation. A common misconception is that smart LEDs (or ordinary LEDs for that matter) require the addition of a special electrical component or setup.

While this may have been true for the for the earliest LED light bulbs, just about any smart LED can fit in any regular light bulb socket. However, some smart LED kits require the addition of a bridge, which, fortunately, often comes included with the kit. This will allow the light bulbs to connect to your mobile device through your local wireless network.

Smart LEDs Are All About Customization

Being able to play around with your lights, change their colors, and even create schedules for your lights to automatically switch on and off are just a few of the many customization options you have with LEDs.

All you need is the usually-included LED smart bridge and you can start fine-tuning your smart lights on an app (usually a proprietary one) on your smartphone. You get all the awesome features like access to a million different colors, on and off scheduling, dimming, custom light shows, and voice activation through Siri on iOS.

Smart LEDs Are Energy Efficient

Don’t forget that smart LEDs are really just LEDs with a few extra features.

Like any LED light bulb, smart LEDs are remarkably energy efficient, using a fraction of the electricity needed to generate the same brightness of light as a traditional incandescent light bulb. Plus, smart LEDs have superior lighting quality compared to ordinary light bulbs, boasting a higher color rendering index (CRI) and zero ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) light.

You can also use the dimming and scheduling features of smart LEDs to control your energy consumption, bringing down your utility bill even further.

They Help You Save On Maintenance

LEDs are unmatched when it comes to longevity. With LEDs having an average rated lifespan of well over 15,000 hours—about 2 years if they’re switched on non-stop—you’re definitely getting your money’s worth in terms of performance, stability, and features. This means that you won’t have to replace your smart LED nearly as often as an incandescent bulb or compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), which in turn, means having to spend fewer on new light bulbs.

Before buying smart LED light bulbs for your [city] home, it’s best to do a bit of research on the device that best suits your home. A good rule of thumb is to start slow and replace the lights in a room you’re often in, such as the bedroom or living room. Good luck!