4 Reasons to Add Outdoor Lighting to Your Smart Home System

If you’re installing a smart home system like Control4, you’ll likely plan to integrate your home’s TVs, speakers, lighting, and smart thermostats. But what about your outdoor spaces?

We work with homeowners in the Portland, OR area, and we see the most satisfaction when people include outdoor lighting in their smart systems. You may be thinking, “Can’t I just turn my outdoor lights on and off as I always have?” But here’s why automated landscape lighting is just as essential as indoor lighting control.

SEE ALSO: Add Convenience and Comfort to Your Life with Home Automation Installation 

1. Control and Sync with Indoor Lights 

Imagine tapping a button on your phone or wall labeled “Away.” If it’s nighttime, indoor lights instantly turn off while outdoor lights power on. Or what if you select an “Entertain” scene that adjusts your indoor and outdoor lights to the perfect brightness and color temperature? 

When your landscape LED lights are integrated into a home controller, you’re free to toggle different brightness levels and colors anytime. You can also group light fixtures into zones or rooms to control in unison, simplifying controls across your entire property. 

2. Automate to Follow Your Routine 

Your smart home will know exactly when and where outdoor lights should turn on. For instance, if no one’s home on weekdays until 7 p.m., you can easily schedule lights to activate then. And as for the weekends? Open the Control4 app and tell your landscape lights to turn on at 6 p.m. 

We can even integrate light sensors that instruct outdoor lights to activate just as the sun sets. And if you want to make any changes, simply swipe through the Control4 app and program lights, shades, and other devices. 

3. Control Remotely from Anywhere 

One of the most advantageous parts of owning a Control4 smart home is the ability to access your home’s system from anywhere in the world. Even if you’re miles away from the home Wi-Fi, you can open the C4 app and remotely turn on your outdoor lights. Left the pool lights on accidentally? Retrieve your phone from your pocket, open the app, and turn them off with no problem! 

4. Give Yourself Peace of Mind 

Do you worry about your home's security when traveling for the weekend, week, or longer? Automated outdoor lighting takes that weight off your shoulders. By scheduling lights to turn off and on, or toggling them remotely from the app, you can make it appear like someone’s always home. Control4 calls this feature “Mockupancy,” and you can do it with indoor lighting and motorized shading too! 

And if you own home security cameras, smart outdoor lights make it easier to see video footage clearly. What’s the use of a camera system if subjects are blurry and in black and white? Remotely turn on your outdoor lights to view live video feeds of your property. Then, if any incident were to occur, you’d have bright footage in color to hand over to the authorities. 

Smart outdoor lighting not only adds beauty to your Portland home, but can help simplify everyday life. Are you interested? Contact Encore Audio Video to learn more about our home technology installations. We look forward to working with you!