Smart switches in the garage—been there, done that. I swear, every winter my remote turns into a popsicle, and if I do find it, the batteries are as dead as my motivation to shovel the driveway. Tried one of those “weatherproof” outdoor outlets last year, and after one freezing rain, it looked like a science experiment gone wrong.
Honestly, I kind of miss the days when you just flipped a switch and didn’t need an app update to turn on the porch light. But, I’ll admit, being able to dim the backyard lights from the warmth of my couch is hard to beat. I went with smart bulbs for the patio string lights, but kept a regular switch for the main floodlights—just in case the WiFi decides to take a nap. Feels like a good mix of old-school reliability and new-school convenience.
If only someone would invent a remote that doesn’t vanish into thin air or die at the first sign of snow... now that would be a true smart device.
Smart switches in the garage are basically a rite of passage at this point. I once installed one for a client who swore it would “change his life”—until he realized his WiFi barely reached the garage in the first place. Ended up running an extension cord for his router through the laundry room just so he could turn on the lights from his phone. Honestly, I still keep a regular old switch for the main lights, too. Nothing beats the reliability of just flipping a switch when your phone’s dead or the app decides to update right when you need it.
I totally get the appeal of smart switches, especially for places like garages or yards where you don’t want to fumble around in the dark. But I’ve actually had better luck with smart bulbs for outdoor setups. There was this one project where the client’s yard had all these quirky old fixtures—no neutral wires, weird placements, you name it. Swapping out the bulbs for smart ones was way easier than rewiring everything for switches.
That said, I always recommend keeping at least one manual option. Tech is great until your WiFi hiccups or the app decides to “improve” itself right when you’re carrying groceries in the rain. I love how seamless things can feel when it all works, but nothing beats just flipping a switch when you need to. Maybe it’s a bit old-school, but sometimes simple is just... better?
- Totally agree on the manual backup—nothing like a good old switch when tech flakes out.
- Smart bulbs are a lifesaver for retrofits, especially with old wiring. No neutral? No problem.
- One thing I’ve noticed: smart bulbs outdoors can be a pain if you’ve got multiple circuits or want everything synced. Sometimes a smart plug or outdoor-rated relay is a better fit, depending on the setup.
- Also, worth thinking about energy efficiency. Some smart bulbs draw a trickle even when “off,” but it’s usually minor.
- I’m with you—sometimes simple just works. But if you’re already rewiring for efficiency (like adding insulation or LED upgrades), it might be worth considering smart switches at the same time. Just depends how deep you wanna go...
“sometimes simple just works. But if you’re already rewiring for efficiency (like adding insulation or LED upgrades), it might be worth considering smart switches at the same time.”
Couldn’t agree more with this. If you’re opening up walls anyway, smart switches are a no-brainer—less hassle down the line. I’ve tried smart bulbs outside and syncing them across circuits is just... not worth the headache. One relay at the switch and you’re set. And yeah, that “trickle” from smart bulbs adds up if you’ve got a bunch. Not huge, but still something to think about if you’re chasing efficiency.
