Smart dimmers FAQs: everything you need to know Sipping a tall glass of bubbly, you laugh with your closest friends as you toast your completed renovation. Chatter fills the kitchen as darkness cloaks the windows, and you subtly dim the overhead lights with your phone, creating the perfect mood without moving from your seat at the table… Incorporating smart dimmers into your home gives you total lighting control, whether you’re lounging on the sofa or hosting a get-together with family and friends. Turn your lights on before you leave work to create a welcoming ambience when you arrive home, or adjust the brightness in your bedroom without moving from the sheets. Image courtesy of @homemilk @bo.fentum.design “The aim was to create a smart switch that makes everyday life easier, without compromising your interior style.” James Dowsing-Reynolds, Co-Founder & Designer Why choose a smart light switch over smart bulbs? Smart dimmers give you complete control over your lighting without even having to move from the sofa. Opting for a smart switch means you won’t have to replace all the bulbs on that circuit – so if you have a light feature with a lot of bulbs, swapping to a smart dimmer could be more cost effective for you. A smart dimmer switch controls the power, meaning the switch stays ‘on’ even when powered ‘off’. This enables you to turn your lights on again using your smart home app, whereas with smart bulbs, your switch needs to remain physically ‘on’ to control them from your app. Which smart home devices are the smart dimmers compatible with? The smart dimmers are compatible with: Apple HomeKit* Philips Hue Bridge Amazon Alexa* Google Nest Hub* Image courtesy of @huntsmore_design_build @snookphotograph Which bulbs are the smart dimmers compatible with? Our smart dimmers can be used with most standard, dimmable bulbs with the exception of: Smart bulbs Non-dimmable bulbs LED strips with an existing dimmable controller Circuits that include transformers or drivers Do the smart dimmers also work as normal manual dimmer switches? Yes, you can still control the light manually by pushing and rotating the dimmer dial as you usually would. Do you have to be within a certain range to be able to control the dimmer using your phone? Once you’ve paired the smart dimmer to your smart home hub, you can control it from anywhere using your smart home app, as long as your phone has a network connection. Will the smart dimmer still work after any software updates on smart home devices? Yes – if the dimmer doesn’t appear in your smart home app after the update, try re-pairing it and include it in your hub. Is a neutral wire required to be able to fit the smart dimmers? Unlike most other smart switches on the market, our smart dimmers work without a neutral wire – this makes them a great option if you have an older home! Image in partnership with @magnetkitchensuk Are your smart dimmers one-way or two-way? Our smart dimmers are one-way meaning it can only be used as a stand-alone switch, without any other additional switches controlling the same circuit – however with a smart dimmer, it’s unlikely you’d need multiple switches on the same circuit. Which colours are the smart dimmers available in? They’re available in eight exclusive finishes; black, gold, silver, white, chrome, smoked gold, tarnished copper and antique brass. Are the smart dimmers available in 1-4 gang configurations? Currently, they’re available in 1 and 2 gang configurations. We do have plans to launch 3 and 4 gang options soon though – watch this space! How do I pair the smart dimmer to my smart home hub? For full step-by-step videos on pairing your smart dimmer with your specific smart home hub, have a watch of the videos below: Four benefits of smart dimmers: Complete control over your lighting from anywhere Available in eight beautiful finishes to coordinate with any home Compatible with many leading smart home systems Works without needing a neutral wire Discover smart dimmers Explore our smart dimmers and find a finish that works for you and your home. *Some Amazon Alexa, Google Nest Hub and Apple HomeKit devices may need an additional hub, for example the Philips Hue Bridge. Check here for full instructions and compatibility. Written by: Natalie WalshMeet Natalie, our fabulous Content Manager here at Dowsing & Reynolds. Natalie is a whizz when it comes to crafting marketing content and copy that wows our audience, but when she’s not working, you can expect to see her in the front row at a country music gig or with her head in a good book. 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