Remote Control of Your Lights and Outlets

The advantages are great.  Remotely controlling your lights offers more safety and is better for the environment.  Furthermore, they offer a major convenience.

The safety issue is that when you are away you can control the lights in your home.  This means you do not have to set the timer to turn lights on and off on a schedule.  If someone suspects you are away, watching the repeating pattern will give that person enough information to know the house is empty.  You can turn lights on and off more randomly, hence give no set pattern.

If you are out late at night, you can turn indoor lights on remotely giving the illusion that you are in the house.  And, you can also turn on outdoor lights to allow you to return home to be to a well-lighted exterior of your house, making it less inviting for people who pose a danger to remain lurking.  This is if the switch is located indoors.

From within the house, should you hear a noise, and be unable to get to a light switch without revealing your position, or putting yourself in danger, turn lights on from your phone.  Once lights go on, the intruder will often leave, especially if several lights begin to go on one after the other.  This implies you are not alone, and multiple people are aware of the sound, something unwelcome by a typical intruder.  And, all the while you can be hiding behind a locked door, or have already exited through a window.

Another aspect of this device is to allow you to save energy when not using a light.  You can just call home literally from around the world and turn off a forgotten light.  This saves on energy, which today is the responsible thing to do.

As for convenience, imaging that you are comfortable in an easy chair, and suddenly you decide should turn a light off.  Just dial from the chair and off it goes.  I realize the exercise can be helpful, but if you must turn off a light from

during a critical time in a movie you really do not want to get up.

Please check the product details for all units that you buy.   These units fit right over wall plates and operate the light switch.  The problem is some are not compatible with lights controlled by several switches, while others are.   

Some units fit multiple switch locations, and can control each of the switches.  If you have two or more light switches together, just search for a unit that fits them.

Outlets can also be turned on and off remotely.  This can allow you to turn a radio or television on or off, as you desire, adding noise randomly to an empty house.  And, if you have left a small appliance running and are in fear of a fire, turn it off remotely.  Of course the outlet through which it is connected would need to be through a special device.  Personal space heaters and small fans, even at the office, can be turned off remotely if a network is available.

Metal interferes with the z-waves sent by your network.  The screws are small enough to not be a problem, but an entire face metal plate is too much.  Replacing metal face plates is an inexpensive thing, since they have very low costs associated with them, and there are just one or two screws to deal with.  This unit covers the plate, so it loses its decorative advantage.

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