renterssafetyinstallation

Emergency Lighting Plans for Short-Term Rentals: Simple Steps Hosts Can Implement Tonight

cchandelier

2026-02-11

10 min read

Quick, practical emergency lighting steps hosts can implement tonight to keep guests safe during cloud or network outages.

If the Wi‑Fi or cloud goes down tonight, will your guests be left in the dark?

Short‑term rentals increasingly rely on cloud‑connected lighting and locks. That’s convenient — until a regional cloud or CDN outage (see the Jan 16, 2026 spike that impacted Cloudflare/AWS services) makes smart bulbs and voice assistants silent. This guide gives Airbnb and VRBO hosts simple, practical steps you can implement tonight to ensure guest safety, reliable emergency lighting, and short‑term backup power during cloud or network outages.

Why this matters in 2026

Through late 2025 and into 2026, smart home deployments accelerated, and the industry saw faster Matter rollout and more local control options — but cloud dependency remains widespread. High‑profile outages in early 2026 highlighted a critical reality: a cloud outage can disable cloud‑only lighting scenes, remote lock access, and voice assistants, compromising guest safety and comfort. Hosts need resilient, low‑cost fallbacks that don’t require electrician visits to protect guests right away.

What you can fix tonight (overview)

Restore lighting capability without the cloud: install battery lights, keep lamps on local switches, and provide portable lanterns.
Keep local control alive: add a small UPS for your router and local hub so Matter/Zigbee/Z‑Wave bridges keep working during short power blips.
Communicate clearly: leave a visible, simple instruction card for guests so they know how to access lights and exits in a blackout or network outage.

Immediate actions: what to do tonight (step‑by‑step)

Use this checklist in order — these are low‑cost, low‑skill steps designed for immediate improvement.

Reinstate physical control of lights.
If you replaced wall switches with smart switches that rely on the cloud or that disable the physical toggle, flip any involved breakers and locate the manual override. If the smart device has a physical toggle, set it to ON and use the bulb/device app later to restore automation. If your smart bulbs were put behind permanently OFF switches, flip switches ON so bulbs get power and can be controlled locally if network returns.
Place battery lanterns and rechargeable puck lights in key locations.
Buy or assemble a small kit: 2–3 rechargeable LED lanterns (or camping lanterns), several stick‑on battery puck lights, and headlamps. Put them in an obvious drawer or cabinet labeled “Emergency Lights.” Prioritize these locations:
- Entryway / front door
- Hallways and stairways
- Kitchen and bathroom
- Living room and common areas
Keep a small UPS for networking gear and local hubs.
Plug your modem, router, and any local bridge (Philips Hue Bridge, IKEA gateway, or Matter hub) into a desktop UPS. A modest 300–600Wh UPS or consumer power station will keep the network and bridge running for hours in many cases. Why? If the local hub stays active, local Zigbee/Z‑Wave/Matter devices can keep responding even if cloud services are unreachable.
Plug in a bedside lamp to a switched outlet.
Make sure one bedside light is on a wall switch that remains functional when power is on, and that the lamp uses an LED bulb (800 lumens, ~8–10W). This becomes your default “safe light” at night if automatons fail.
Set up easy instructions the guest can see immediately.
Create a one‑page card with: how to find the emergency lights, how to flip a local switch, and who to call. Keep it laminated and placed on the kitchen counter and beside the bed. For inexpensive printing and quick laminates, consider using a print promo service to save on small runs of guest cards (laminated emergency instruction cards).

Sizing backup power — fast math for hosts

To decide what UPS or portable power station to buy, estimate how much you need:

Router + modem + local hub: ~20–30W typical. Example: Router 12W + modem 10W + Hue Bridge 3W = 25W.
One or two essential lights: LED bulb ~8–10W each for 800 lumens. Small lamps or lanterns often draw <10W.

Energy math (simple):

If you need to keep router+hub (25W) plus two 10W bulbs (20W) running = 45W total. A 450Wh battery will theoretically provide ~10 hours (450Wh / 45W = 10h). Account for conversion loss (assume ~80% efficiency), so real runtime ≈ 8 hours.

Recommendation: for overnight coverage, choose a portable battery or UPS in the 300–600Wh range. For multi‑day resilience or powering several fixtures, step up to 1000Wh+. Brands to look for include APC UPSes for networking gear and portable power stations like EcoFlow or Jackery for lighting + devices.

Smart homes and the cloud: practical fallbacks

Many hosts now use cloud‑dependent bulbs and voice assistants. Here’s how to make them resilient.

1. Enable local control on smart bulbs and hubs

Why: Local control keeps lights working even if the vendor’s cloud is down. In 2026, Matter and matured local bridge implementations mean many devices operate entirely on‑premises when configured correctly.

Plug in a local hub (Philips Hue Bridge, IKEA Gateway, or a Matter certified hub) and pair bulbs to it. Test by disabling the Internet — bulbs should still respond to the local app or physical switches.
If your bulbs are Wi‑Fi only and cloud‑dependent, consider swapping one or two critical room bulbs for Zigbee/Z‑Wave bulbs that can be bridged locally.

2. Preserve physical switches and install local overrides

Smart bulbs behind switched circuits can be killed by an unwitting guest flipping the wall switch. Use the following tonight:

Leave a small sticker reminding guests not to turn off the wall switch for designated smart lights.
Install inexpensive in‑line switch retainers or smart switches that include a mechanical toggle so local power stays available.

3. Test voice assistant reliance

Voice control is convenient but fragile during cloud outages. Add visible manual controls and instruct guests in the one‑page emergency card on how to access light switches manually.

Placement and lumen targets for safety

Design emergency lighting with guests’ mobility and escape routes in mind. Use these targets as a guide:

Stairways and corridors: 150–300 lumens continuous, well‑distributed. Motion‑activated battery strips or puck lights are ideal.
Hallway to exits: 200–400 lumens to allow safe egress.
Bedroom / bedside: 200–350 lumens for reading and movement.
Kitchen: 400–800 lumens for safe handling of appliances when cooking is possible.

Quick tonight action: place one rechargeable lantern (800 lumens) near the front door and one in the bedroom. Stick puck lights on stair risers or handrails if applicable.

Guest communication templates (copy these)

Place these messages in a laminated card near the bed and a printed note on the front counter.

Front counter / kitchen card

Power or Wi‑Fi outage? Please use the labeled drawer: Emergency Lights. If you need more light, use the lamps with the “Lamp” label. For any safety issue call: Host [phone] or emergency services 911. Wi‑Fi restart step: unplug modem for 10s, plug back in. Host will check within 30 minutes.

Bedside card

Lights during outage: Tap the bedside lamp or use the rechargeable lantern under the nightstand. Avoid candles unless supervised. If you cannot find the lantern, call the host immediately.

Maintenance and testing — simple routines

One of the biggest failures is forgotten batteries or expired devices. Set a monthly maintenance routine:

Test each emergency light monthly; run lanterns until they warn low, then recharge.
Run a quarterly simulated outage: unplug the Internet for 10–15 minutes and confirm local switches, hub, and UPS keep lights working.
Replace rechargeable batteries every 18–36 months depending on cycles; keep spare AA/AAA and a spare lantern.
Update the guest instruction card whenever you change devices or wiring.

When to call a pro (and what to ask them)

For hardwired emergency lighting, code compliance, or any mains wiring, hire a licensed electrician. Ask these specific questions:

Can you install a dedicated emergency circuit or a switched outlet that remains powered for essential lamps?
Can we add a mechanical bypass for smart switches so bulbs stay powered if the Internet/hub is down?
What solutions meet local code for exit signage or required emergency lighting in multi‑unit buildings?

Legal and insurance notes (quick heads up)

Short‑term rental hosts must follow local building and fire codes. While battery lanterns and portable lights are reasonable safety measures, some jurisdictions require hardwired emergency lighting in multiunit occupancies. Check your local rules and your insurance policy; note any modifications you make, and keep receipts for emergency gear if you ever need to show due diligence.

Case studies and real‑world examples (lessons learned)

Hosts who survived the January 2026 CDN and cloud interruptions reported similar fixes that worked reliably:

Urban apartment host: Kept a 600Wh UPS under the TV powering the modem + Hue Bridge. When the cloud failed, local scenes still worked and guests used bedside lamps. Outcome: zero complaints and quick rebooking.
Cozy mountain cabin host: Installed rechargeable lanterns in each room and labeled exit routes. During a storm outage, guests reported feeling safe and left a 5‑star review that praised the clear instructions.

Shopping list: what to buy tonight

Here’s a quick kit you can assemble in one evening.

2–3 rechargeable LED lanterns (800 lumens recommended)
6–10 stick‑on rechargeable puck lights
1 desktop UPS (300–600Wh) for networking gear OR a 500Wh portable power station
1 extra bedside lamp with LED bulb (800 lumens)
Laminated emergency instruction cards
Headlamps (2) and spare batteries

Advanced (but fast) upgrades if you want to invest more

Within a weekend or two you can add these to create a professionally resilient setup:

Matter‑enabled local hub: Add a Matter certified hub that routes Zigbee/Z‑Wave to local Matter control. In 2026 this is the most future‑proof path to robust local control.
Automated failover to battery power: Install an electrician‑qualified automatic transfer switch or whole‑home battery for longer outages.
Dual‑path switching: Combine local switches with smart scenes set to resume only when both cloud and local hub are available, reducing guest confusion during partial outages.

Final checklist for tonight — printable

Place emergency lanterns in entryway and bedroom, label them.
Put laminated card with steps on counter and bedside.
Plug modem, router, and local hub into a UPS; test by disconnecting Internet.
Make sure at least one lamp is on a manual switch and left ON.
Leave spare batteries and headlamps in the emergency drawer.

Key takeaways — what to do right now

Do this tonight: place lanterns, plug the hub into a UPS, label instructions for guests.
Do this this week: test local control and add one Matter/Zigbee bridge if your bulbs are cloud dependent.
Do this this season: scale up to a 300–600Wh UPS or permanent battery if you host frequently or expect storms/outages.

In 2026, resilience is local: plan for cloud outages by prioritizing local control, simple emergency lighting, and clear guest communication.

Call to action

Start tonight: gather two rechargeable lanterns, a small UPS, and print the two guest cards. Want a ready‑made checklist and printable guest cards tailored to your property? Sign up for our free Host Emergency Lighting Kit — templates, shopping list, and a 10‑minute video walkthrough that guides you from zero to resilient in one evening.

chandelier

Contributor

Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.