Is Your Home Still Smart When The Power Goes Out?

When Power Goes Out, Is Your Smart Home Still Functioning?

While constructing a smart home, it’s very easy to get lost in its imagination and forgot about all the practical things.

What happens in a connected home if the power goes out?

Which of your smart devices will still function, and is this such a big deal?

Spoiler: The short answer is many of your architects & interior designers in Mumbai will keep persisting without letting you down. But, there are some expectations. So…

Since you have imagined it and expected that the smart speakers and displays won’t perform any function because you don’t have a Wi-Fi connection.

The devices which have built-in battery backup will keep running. There is a possibility of the cameras to keep working. Let’s have a look on that what should we expect from the next smart tech in a little more detail:

#1 Smart locks and power outages

We’ll kick off the devices that you want to keep working, a smart lock. The advancement of your entryway may give you a big relief.

What happens to your smart lock when the power goes down?

Well, with systematic batteries powering these locks and Bluetooth connectivity more ordinary than Wi-Fi, you shouldn’t practice that nasty feeling of being locked out. The classic August Smart Lock, for example, runs on 4 AA batteries with Bluetooth used for wireless communication.

Other smart door locks don’t call for a data connection, so here is a plus point. That said, without power, limitations might come with certain smart locks. But it is not the same case with the August lock it will continue to work, but you’ll be let down by the Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, allowing you to access your lock remotely. Don’t expect to be locked out of your home that won’t happen.

#2 Garage doors and power outages

Like any smart home device, a smart garage door opener affords you an outstanding extra layer of ease. Say goodbye to walking out on a rainy night and say hello to unified automation.

How about when the power lets you down, though? Will the garage door opener do the same?

The combined batteries in garage door openers prevent this issue. It will ensure you can get the car when you need it. The feeble connection here is the Wi-Fi connection. Many garage door openers rely on it, but with basic functionality, you’re good to go.

#3: Smart thermostats and power outages

Google Nest Learning Thermostat is now in its third recapitulation and ruins one of the most widespread smart thermostats in the market. As you’d assume from climate control this intelligent, you won’t wind up with a tragedy on your hands in the event of a power outage.

The rechargeable battery onboard gets its juice directly from your heating or cooling system wires. If the battery starts successively low, the thermostat shuts down until adequately charged. During this charging phase, you’ll see a flashing red light on the device. Before this happens, though, it takes preventive measures to preserve the charge. It will go offline to eliminate the power draw from Wi-Fi.

Once the battery is dead, the thermostat becomes unusable. All settings will stay in place while you are restoring the power, saving you the tedium of manually resetting everything. According to an expert Nest Learning keeps running for up to 2 hours. Wait an hour or so for full functionality resumes.

The majority of other thermostats from ecobee and other major players have similar safeguards in place.

#4 Smart security cameras and power outages

Be ready for most smart security cameras to stop working when the power is down. There are concessions where battery backup and local recording ties you over, but the bulk won’t play nice. If you express anxiety, perhaps consider a full-bore home security system. Since these use outdated phone lines and a monitoring center, you’ll have your back covered if the power falls.

Where systems using cellular radio will succeed to remain operational without power, those using VoIP (Voice-over-Internet-Protocol) require an online connection to run. When the power dies, so do these systems.

#5 Smart lighting and power outages

Obviously, without electricity, your smart lights won’t be so brainy. They won’t do anything at all. What’s of more concern here is what happens when the power comes back, and your lights go back on. We referred to this because many power outages don’t get fixed rapidly. Visualize falling back to sleep and then being rudely woken with all the lights blaring on full when the power comes back on.

If you’re using Philips Hue bulbs, you can change the settings so that Power Loss Recovery is activated. The bulb will then return to its last state of use when the power bangs back on.

So far, so good. Which devices won’t work in any fashion without power, then?

Which Smart Devices Need Power At All Times?

If you’ve got smart switches or smart outlets, it’s understandable they won’t work. A smart air conditioning unit or a connected dehumidifier won’t be of much use when there is a shortage of electricity either. Smart security cameras are the other prominent devices that usually perform poorly or not at all without recourse to electricity. How about the Wi-Fi network, though? Is there anything you can do to fight back when you lose connectivity?

Luckily, there positively is!

Wi-Fi and power outage workarounds

Certainly connected homes work based on a stable Wi-Fi connection, this is the smart home’s Achilles heel if the power disappears. Routers plugged into usual power outlets will die when the power goes.

Is there any way at all to get around this?

Auspiciously, there is. A UPS (uninterrupted power supply) is a battery backup that assists double duty as a surge protector. Whenever the UPS signs a power drop or a power surge, it will defend your device against any blowback with its battery serving to power the device until normal power is restored.

Progressively, routers give you the option of swapping to cellular Wi-Fi. You should be clear here that you’ll often be paying significant data charges for this pleasure, so decide whether being online is worth it.

If you unconditionally and immediately require power, try securing your laptop to the mobile broadband hotspot on your smartphone. Again, watch for data charges here, and be ready for the battery on your phone to fall like a stone at the same time as the phone becomes white-hot to the touch!

If you live somewhere where power outages are a consistent threat, it’s worth looking into a physical hotspot device. More commonly used by global travelers, these nifty units ensure that you stay online 24/7 even if the power is down.

Final word

Well, hopefully, you can now rest securely knowing that a power outage won’t bring your connected home to its knees. It recompenses to be aware in advance of which devices might start playing up and which will keep on running like normal. We hope the advice on staying online in a power outage will also serve you well. Contact Swami interior design to turn your home into a smart home.