I’ve been wrestling with this exact decision for our backyard. I get the reliability thing—nothing more annoying than standing outside waving your phone around because the Wi-Fi’s acting up. But I do like being able to set schedules or dim things from my phone, especially when we’re away. Ended up going with smart switches for the main lights and just regular LEDs in the fixtures. That way, if something dies, it’s a quick swap, and I still get some automation without being totally dependent on the bulbs or app. Not perfect, but it’s working so far...
Ever run into issues with the smart switches not playing nice with certain LED bulbs? I had a weird flicker thing going on with some cheaper LEDs, and it drove me nuts until I swapped them out. Curious if you’ve had to troubleshoot anything like that, or if your setup’s been pretty smooth.
That flicker thing is the bane of my existence in this old house. I had a similar issue—
—and it turned out my ancient wiring just didn’t play nice with the newer switches. Swapping bulbs helped, but sometimes I wonder if it’s the wiring or the ghosts... Either way, you’re not alone.“weird flicker thing going on with some cheaper LEDs”
Swapping bulbs helped, but sometimes I wonder if it’s the wiring or the ghosts...
Honestly, I’m convinced half the “ghosts” in these old places are just outdated wiring and cheap LEDs having a standoff. I’ve been leaning toward smart bulbs for outdoor spaces since you can swap them out without touching the wiring, but then again, smart switches seem more future-proof if you ever want to change bulb types. Has anyone here noticed a difference in energy efficiency between the two setups? I’m always chasing that lower electric bill, but sometimes it feels like a toss-up.
I’ve been leaning toward smart bulbs for outdoor spaces since you can swap them out without touching the wiring, but then again, smart switches seem more future-proof if you ever want to change bulb types.
You’re not wrong—smart switches definitely win on flexibility. I’ve swapped both in and honestly, the energy savings are pretty similar unless you’re running a ton of extra features on the bulbs (like color cycling or always-on WiFi). For me, the wiring in these old houses is the real “ghost.” If you’re chasing efficiency, just make sure your bulbs are actually shutting off at the switch—some “smart” setups keep a trickle going. Not a huge deal, but it adds up over time.
