Smart Lights: What timers are there to turn off household lights?
Primary tabs
What timers are there to turn off household lights?
Question
My father has poor vision and memory and keeps forgetting to shut off his lights. Sometimes he leaves lights on all night because he doesn’t see that they are on. Are there any tools, apps, or sensors that could turn the lights off for him or remind him about turning them off?
Our answer
Products mentioned in our answer below are provided to inform you about the types of technologies available and have not been evaluated by CanAssist. They may or may not be appropriate for your particular situation. Some technologies and devices may require an in-person assessment. Speak with your health care provider for additional information and support.
Leaving the lights on overnight can strain your electrical bill and wear out the bulbs quicker. Here are some options for you to consider:
- WOODS Daily Mechanical Indoor Appliance Timer (at Home Hardware) allows you to set a designated time for a lamp or light to turn on at, and another designated time for the lamp or light to turn off every day at the same time. The product costs around $20 (CDN), plus additional shipping fees.
- NOMA 8-Outlet Power Bar with Timer (at Canadian Tire) features four outlets controlled by the timer and four outlets controlled by the switch. You could program the switch to start in the morning and time out at your father’s bedtime. The product costs around $26 (CDN), plus additional shipping fees.
- Govee LED Light Bulbs (at Amazon Canada) are smart LED lights that can be controlled through an app, Alexa, or Google Assistant. They are a great option if your father is familiar with using voice commands through Google Nest or Echo Dot, or if he is comfortable with you scheduling to turn his lights off at nighttime. You could also program Google Nest or Echo Dot to have voice reminders for your father to check that all the switches are turned off. The bulbs cost around $30 to $40 (CDN) for a two-pack, plus additional shipping fees.
- Screw In Motion Sensing Light Socket (at Assistive Technology Services) automatically turns the light bulb on when motion is sensed and turns it off four minutes after motion stops. This could be an alternative solution to a timed light. The motion sensor switch can be used with 25W to 100W bulbs and costs about $25 (USD) plus shipping fees.
If you still can’t find what you're looking for, please ask us a question.