Night lights are energy wasters if they stay on even when you're asleep.
Technology is increasingly ruling the home. While big data has made its name in the business world, that's not to say new device advances and smart analytics are absent in the residential sense.
In fact, as the Internet of Things, which allows devices and equipment to "talk" to one another, progresses, home automation becomes more and more important and intriguing to homeowners.
Now, most of the discussion around home automation has centered on ultra new advances in home technology. Things like smart thermostats and stainless steel appliances with built-in TVs and operating screens have deservedly received acclaim from all pockets of consumerism, but home automation doesn't always equate to super high-tech.
If energy savings are the desire - like those a smart thermostat may generate - homeowners have a number of products they can choose from to create these benefits in the home. Even seemingly simple products, like night lights, can have huge effects.
LEDs last 25 times longer and use 75 percent less energy
How night lights improve home automation
Night lights usually get lumped in with novelty products, and while some do come in super hero shapes and decors, there are many different models that impact home lighting and energy use while also providing a more appropriate aesthetic for a living room or guest room.
Products like GE-licensed Jasco night lights come in a variety of finishes and styles to fit the design of a particular room or blend against a wall, but the decorative aspects of such night lights are only half the package.
Old night lights were just plug-in and leave-em, they stayed on no matter how long the house had already been asleep for, using much more energy than needed and altogether not impacting any home efficiencies.
However, consumers can now choose from a range of night lights that can serve different purposes. For instance, GE-branded Jasco night lights are available in motion-sensing models that track movement and are thus active only when a presence needing light is detected. Night lights are also available as backups during power failure, sconces with time and temperature displays and LED path lights for dark hallways or staircases.
Night lights are an important product to home automation.Why LED is important
A primary objective of home automation is getting the best performance out of household products and installations, and using LED night lights is one surefire way to accomplish that.
Compared to other common light solutions like CFL and incandescent that regulations and manufacturers are phasing out, LED costs more upfront, but the life span and energy savings associated with the type of bulb are the real value. The Department of Energy says compared to incandescent, LEDs last 25 times longer and use 75 percent less energy. LEDs also come in different colors that allow homeowners to not only take advantage of LED benefits, but also pursue further home customization regarding lighting intensity and warmth.