Man, drywall dust is the glitter of home improvement—once it’s there, it’s never really gone. I’ve had my share of “quick” upgrades turn into weekend-long sagas, so I feel you on the smart switch adventure. I tried to impress my wife with a “simple” switch swap in our rental property, and let’s just say the tenants still joke about the patch job every time I swing by.
I’m with you on the smart bulbs for outdoor stuff. Way less drama, and if one dies, it’s not a whole production. The switch-flipping thing does get me, though. My kids treat every light switch like it’s a fidget toy, so half the time my “smart” bulbs are just expensive regular bulbs until I go around flipping everything back on.
Curious—has anyone tried those little magnetic switch covers to keep people from flipping the switch off? Or is that just asking for more trouble? I keep thinking there’s gotta be a better way, but maybe I’m just destined to chase my family around the house turning switches back on...
Magnetic switch covers are a mixed bag. I slapped a couple on in my kitchen after getting tired of “fixing” the smart bulbs every night. They work, but now my wife just pops them off and flips the switch anyway. Honestly, I think I spend more time hunting for the covers than I did flipping switches before. Might just be easier to train the family, but that’s probably wishful thinking...
Honestly, I think I spend more time hunting for the covers than I did flipping switches before.
That’s exactly why I usually steer folks toward smart switches instead of just bulbs, especially in shared spaces. Covers sound good in theory, but in practice—yeah, they end up on the counter or lost behind the toaster. I’ve seen it way too often.
For a yard setup, have you considered swapping out the actual switches for smart ones? That way, you keep the regular wall switch functionality everyone’s used to, but you can still automate or control things remotely. No covers to lose, no “training” required (which, let’s be honest, never really sticks). The only catch is making sure your wiring supports them—sometimes older homes need a neutral wire.
If you’re just looking for color or dimming flexibility, bulbs can be fun, but for pure convenience and family harmony, I’d lean switches every time. Just my two cents from seeing this play out in a bunch of homes.
I hear you on the covers—mine always end up in the junk drawer, and then I’m flipping switches out of habit anyway. I tried smart bulbs in the patio fixtures last summer, but my kids kept turning the switch off and “breaking” the automation. Swapping to smart switches was way less hassle, even if it meant figuring out which breaker was which (that took longer than installing the switch, honestly). Only thing I miss is the color-changing party mode, but for just lighting up the yard, switches win for me.
figuring out which breaker was which (that took longer than installing the switch, honestly)
That’s the part nobody warns you about—breaker roulette is a rite of passage. I’m with you on switches for outdoor stuff. I tried smart bulbs, but one power outage and the whole setup went haywire. Switches just work, even if you lose out on disco mode. For me, reliability beats fancy colors, especially when I’m halfway through grilling and don’t want to troubleshoot lights.
