Using Smart bulbs is the first choice of many people towards home automation. Smart bulbs bring many advantages to your life. They are more effective and energy-saving than regular bulbs too. If you are new to using smart bulbs or you are considering buying smart bulbs for your home, you might be concerned about how to use smart bulbs. So in this article, we are going to discuss essential details related to that topic so you can start automating your home right now!
Where do you put smart bulbs?
So, many of the customers wonder which parts in their houses are best suited for smart bulbs. Simply put, you can put them anywhere you have put your traditional light bulbs.
Also, you can use them in appliances like table lamps. You just have to remove the old light bulbs and screw in the new smart bulbs. It probably will not matter if your light switches are very old if they are in good working condition.
You can group them according to zones or rooms for convenience.
As an example, if there are three smart bulbs in your kitchen and dine area, you can group them together so you can turn on every light when you step into the kitchen. So you will not have to bother switching on each and every light switch as you go. You can apply the same method for your bulbs in a corridor or outside the house.
Interesting, huh!
You can schedule the bulbs to turn on and off at any time you prefer. Moreover, you can turn them on and off even if you are away from home. So if you place these bulbs on the outside or somewhere they can be seen from the outside, you do not have to worry about burglars breaking into your house while you are away because a turned-on light is a warning sign for them to think that there is someone inside the home.
Just like this, you can put smart bulbs wherever in the house and be smart about it too.
What can I use Smart Bulbs for?
There are many cool as well as super exciting things that you can do with these types of bulbs. Of course, there are everyday things that you use a regular light bulb for, just more convenient. And some things would take your lighting experience to the next level.
You can use these bulbs to be in control of your home lightings at any given time.
No need to worry when you are far away from your home!
You can turn on and off individual or groups of bulbs with the use of the app on your smartphone.
You can use your smart bulbs to dim the lights. Some people are not big fans of bright lights. And sometimes, we need to tone down the lights without turning them off. Smart bulbs offer you these options.
If you are planning to customize your home for a particular room, you can use smart bulbs to better serve this purpose. They have the option to change colors. You can change the atmosphere by changing the colors that fit the mood.
Not only that but also you can do fun light shows too. Many people nowadays use these bulbs to decorate their rooms and gardens beautifully.
What else can I do with smart bulbs?
You are in control of the light bulbs. You can connect your smart bulbs to your voice assistants like Alexa or Siri. Then you can tell your bulbs what to do.
As an example, you can schedule an event like where you say, “Alexa, get ready to work,” and the bulbs at your desk are turned on.
You can set motion sensors so you will never stumble on a desk and stab your toes in the dark again. Some of these bulbs come with motion sensors. You can make them turned on when you walk into a room.
That is better than a pathway that lightens up when you started walking down it. There are motion sensors that detect whether it is day or night and are turned on and off according to that.
Can smart bulbs be used in any fixture?
In the current market, you can find these bulbs in different sizes, shapes, colors, and configurations. You can use your pre-existing light fixtures to screw in the new smart bulbs. They can also be connected to table lamps, kitchen pendant lights, bedside lamps, etc. Furthermore, they can be used with smart home devices and home assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple’s Siri. You just have to configure the smart bulbs’ connection as required, like connecting them to a Wi-Fi network, HomeKit, or a hub.
So the bottom line is you can use smart bulbs anywhere you would install a traditional bulb.
How to use smart bulbs?
When you first purchase a smart bulb, you might have some trouble setting it up. So we are here to help you and do not worry, it is a really simple process.
You can screw in the bulb to the pre-existing bulb holder. You might have to check the holder and get these bulbs that fit the holder if you are not going to replace the holder with the bulb.
Then turn on the switch and keep it on because these bulbs require to be always on standby mode for them to work. However, you know that there are different types of smart bulbs in the market, and you can buy the most convenient type for you.
Let us look into how to connect and use a Wi-Fi smart bulb, a Bluetooth smart bulb, and a ZigBee smart bulb.
How to install and use a Wi-Fi smart bulb?
After applying the bulb to the holder, download the mobile app to your phone. Depending on the company and the brand of your smart bulb, the app is different, and you have to download the relevant app to your smart bulb. You can add the bulbs to the app using the “Add a Device/Product” button in the app. To do so, you have to be connected to a wireless network. Now turn on and off the bulb three times, and the bulb will flash, indicating that it is successfully ready to be connected and in the pairing mode. Keep in mind that here, one time means both turning the bulb on and off. It is necessary to enter your Wi-Fi network details. After you enter these details, your bulb will be connected.
Now you can also connect them to your Alexa or any other smart assistant device and use it to do different things like turning on, off, dimming, scheduling, and changing colors.
How to install and use a Bluetooth smart bulb?
You are going to have to download the app for this too. You can turn on Bluetooth on your phone, and then in the app, click “add new device”. Select the bulbs from the list. After the bulb flashes, it means that it is successfully connected and ready to be used.
How to install and use a ZigBee smart bulb?
You have to buy a hub for this. It is a bridge that connects your smart bulbs to your Wi-Fi router. After purchasing the hub, you have to download the app to your smartphone. Then connect your hub to the Wi-Fi router and plug the adapter into an outlet. Connect the bulb into the holder and turn it on. You can select the bridge from the app and connect it. Next, press the button in the middle of the bridge to automatically connect all of your smart bulbs.
How to use the smart bulbs after the installation?
After you installing and connecting them to the app, it is a pretty straightforward process. You can turn on and off these bulbs using the app. Also, you can schedule and group light bulbs. You can refer to the guide on the mobile application or the website of the smart app brand you purchase. You have to keep the light switch on. That is because these bulbs require a steady line of electricity all the time for you to be able to control them that is connected to a wireless network.
Things you should consider when buying and installing smart bulbs
As this is a considerable change in your home, you should always be concerned about buying the most fitting type of smart bulbs for your house. As we have stated many times before in this article, there are different types of smart bulbs. There are smart bulbs that connect to different networks. You can choose the most convenient network for you. Also, there are smart bulbs that only emit white light, and there are smart bulbs that change color and also have dimmers. Depending on the atmosphere of the room and how you want to decorate it, you can use these smart bulbs. As an example, you can use a smart bulb that has a dimmer in your bedroom and use it as a night light. Also You need to be concerned about whether smart light bulbs can cause a fire.
These are the things you have to know about using smart bulbs when you are newly purchasing them or planning to make your house a smart home. We wish you all the best for your smart decision.
