Very early in my smart home journey, my son gave me two smart plugs he had no use for. His lack of creativity surprised me. There are lots of ways to put a smart plug to work to save energy, increase convenience, and even make your home more secure. I gladly accepted his gift and deployed the plugs as soon as I got home.
Below are four great ways to use a smart plug somebody gave you. Automated lighting is first on the list, but not merely for the purposes of turning lights on and off. Think about the implications of being able to do so.
1. Advanced Automated Lighting
Like so many others, I think my son viewed the two plugs he gave me as nothing more than electronic versions of the old light timers from the 1970s and 80s. He did not quite grasp their potential.
Any light in your home that plugs into a wall socket can be automated with a smart plug. For security purposes, this means you can program lights to go on and off at different times of the day. But let us take it one step further: with a little creative programming, you can simulate movement throughout your home.
Vivint Home Security, a nationwide leader in home automation and monitored security, recommends using your TV along with automated lighting to simulate activity. You do not need a smart plug to do it, as long as your home automation platform allows you to include the TV in your programming routines.
With a compatible smart speaker, you can also turn your lights on and off with voice commands. Imagine waking up in the middle of the night because you heard a noise downstairs. Just by speaking, you can turn on any lights connected to a smart plug. If there is a burglar in your living room, chances are he will pound the pavement right away.
2. Holiday Lighting
I string all my interior and exterior holiday lights so that they can be powered by smart plugs. I have a standing routine saved in my smart home platform that I simply reactivate every season. It gets deactivated once the season is over.
Gone are the days of forgetting to turn the lights on or off. I am also not running around the house plugging in individual strings of lights. Everything goes on automatically at sundown and shuts off at bedtime. Easy peasy.
3. Automating a Fan
Where we live, there are two times during the year when it is quite warm at bedtime but then pretty cool in the morning. An oscillating fan plugged into a smart plug becomes an invaluable asset during these few weeks of spring and fall. The fan is programmed to turn on at bedtime and then shut off in the middle of the night. We can get a cool breeze for the few hours we need it. When we don't, the fan stops on its own.
4. Powering a Cell Phone Cam
It is possible to turn an old cell phone into a security camera. One of the downsides of doing so is the potential fire hazard that comes with leaving a phone plugged in 24/7. But with a smart plug in play, it can be programmed to turn on for just a few hours per day. The phone stays charged without the risk of overheating.
The smart plug is more than just an automated on/off switch. It is a tool that can be used in any number of ways to make your home more comfortable, efficient, and safe.