If you’ve ever built a new home or endured a remodeling project, you’re well aware of the importance of planning out every detail no matter how insignificant it might seem. Whether you did a kitchen makeover or converted an extra bedroom into a man cave, the first step in your planning journey is always the same, determine your ultimate goal for the project. Once you have those goals in mind, you’ll be able to consider decisions related to design, materials, and budget. But perhaps you’re not aware of the possibilities related to Vantage lighting control for your Dallas, TX home. Read on to learn more about this must-have home upgrade.

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Why upgrade your home’s lighting system?

The days of flipping a switch to turn on a single light at a time have gone the way of the rotary phone, it may have worked well for its time, but new technology has come along to replace it and provide a better user experience. No longer do homeowners have to fumble for a light switch, arrive home to a dark property or have to worry about their house while away on vacation.  

• Get Hands-Free Control – How often do you make your way through the garage or into your home, hands full of groceries, luggage, or a toddler? And no way to turn on the lights? With an occupancy sensor, the light turns on automatically whenever you enter a space. Not only great for entry ways, but also for rooms where you often enter with your hands full, such as a pantry, wine cellar, or laundry room. These same sensors can turn off lights a short while after you leave the space, making it easy to save on energy. 

• Increase Safety and Security – The end of summer signals shorter days and no one in your family wants to arrive home to a dark house and fumble with the keys at the front door. A well-lit property allows each family member to safely make their way from the car into the house. An automated lighting system can be programmed to turn lights on around your property at sunset each day. An outdoor system that incorporates pathway lighting prevents slips, trips, and falls keeping you, your family, and guests safe. Additionally, landscape lighting can be added to increase the curb appeal of your property. 

• Set Your Home to ‘Vacation’ Mode – Do you worry about what’s going on at your house when you are away on vacation? With a ‘vacation’ lighting scene, you can enjoy your time away without thinking about your home. Before you step out of the door, enroot to that tropical destination, tap on the scene button and voila, your home goes into away mode meaning lights come on at random times throughout the day and into the evening so that your house appears as though someone is home. Your outdoor lights, as well as, shades can be programmed as part of the scene giving you added peace of mind while you are away.  

With Vantage lighting control, table and floor lamps can also be added to your lighting system providing convenient access to all the lights in your home. Start with a single-room and add on to the system as you need or outfit your entire home with lighting automation. Contact one of our lighting experts to learn about what’s possible. 

If you’ve been looking for a way to reduce your carbon footprint or lower your monthly energy bill, there are a lot of small changes you can make at home that can have a big impact. The good news is that with the right technology, many of these changes can actually make your life easier instead of more complicated. One of those technologies is a lighting control system. Studies show that electric lighting typically takes up to 25 percent of a home’s energy budget, so making improvements to lighting usage are definitely a smart idea. If you’re a homeowner in the Dallas, Texas area, then keep reading to learn the best approach to energy-efficient lighting.

Start by Making Your Lights Smarter

By smarter, we mean connecting all of the light fixtures throughout your home to a smart home automation system. This central platform makes it easy to monitor energy usage and manage all of the lights at once. From your smartphone or tablet, you can simply push a button and have all of the lights in the home (or just the lights in one room) turn on or off immediately.

Take Advantage of Dimmers

Once you’ve added the lighting control system to your house, you can start to do more sophisticated energy management such as dimming lights. In the typical home, lights have two settings: on and off. But there are many instances when you don’t need your lights blasting at full brightness. By using dimmers, you can get the best lighting for every occasion and save energy while you’re doing it. Using your control panel or remote, you can set the lighting in the room to 30 percent or 80 percent – whatever makes sense for that given moment. According to Vantage, one of the top manufacturers of lighting control systems, by dimming a 1500 hour incandescent lamp by 33 percent, you can make that bulb last nearly ten years.

SEE ALSO: Getting Started with Lighting Control

Use Lighting Automation

Another cool energy-saving feature of a lighting control system is automation. Using sensors, your lights can react automatically to different environments. For example, you could add motion sensors that detect when a room is unoccupied. After 5 minutes, the lights will turn off automatically to save energy, then turn on instantly if someone enters the area. Another type of technology to take advantage of is daylight sensors. These sensors track how much daylight is entering the room through windows. On sunny days, the system will dim the overhead lights so that the room is still well lit, then brighten the lights if the weather grows cloudy. Without you having to lift a finger, your home reacts to keep everything energy-efficient for you.