Ajax Home Automation and Smart Home Wiring
KV Bear Electrical is a licensed electrical contractor (ECRA/ESA 7014730) based in Oshawa, serving homeowners in Ajax. This page covers how our smart home installation service works for Ajax homes.
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For many Ajax households, home automation begins with the thermostat rather than the lights. A connected thermostat can follow a schedule, respond to time-of-use pricing and, through Save on Energy's Peak Perks program, earn an incentive for allowing small adjustments when Ontario's demand for electricity peaks in summer. The thermostat is only as dependable as the wiring that powers it, and that is where an electrician comes in.
Ajax had 126,666 residents in the 2021 Census, and Elexicon Energy delivers the electricity to their homes. Those houses can range from older ones with original thermostat cable to newer builds with more conductors in the wall. Smart switches, dimmers, a hub for lighting scenes and outdoor lighting controls all build on the same foundation: the right wires in the right boxes.
What Ajax Homeowners Should Know
The Electrical Safety Authority allows homeowners to do electrical work in their own home after filing a notification, but friends, family members or neighbours cannot perform electrical work in your home, and only a Licensed Electrical Contracting Business can be hired to do it.
Source: Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Electrical Work, Electrical Safety Authority (esasafe.com)Save on Energy's Peak Perks requirements (version 2.3, May 8, 2026) cover residential customers with central air conditioning, including heat pumps that are part of central air, controlled by an eligible Wi-Fi smart thermostat, and pay a $75 enrolment incentive plus a $20 annual incentive (as of October 2026).
Source: Peak Perks Program Requirements, Version 2.3, Save on Energy (IESO) (saveonenergy.ca)Peak Perks allows up to three smart thermostats per single-family residence when each controls a separate air conditioning system, and participants cannot be in another Ontario demand response program that automatically adjusts their thermostat.
Source: Peak Perks Program Requirements, Version 2.3, Save on Energy (IESO) (saveonenergy.ca)On the Ontario Energy Board's Ultra-Low Overnight plan, the on-peak period runs on weekdays from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and carries the plan's highest price, well above its mid-peak and weekend off-peak prices (as of October 2026).
Source: Electricity Rates, Ontario Energy Board (oeb.ca)Elexicon Energy names Ajax as one of the communities it serves and lists its Ajax office at 55 Taunton Road East.
Source: Move In, Move Out, Elexicon Energy (elexiconenergy.com)Statistics Canada reports that Ajax's enumerated population was 126,666 in 2021, a 5.8% change from 2016, matching the provincial average.
Source: Focus on Geography Series, 2021 Census: Ajax, Statistics Canada (www12.statcan.gc.ca)
Facts checked October 13, 2026.
Thermostat Wiring: C-Wires, Heat Pumps and Peak Perks
Most Wi-Fi thermostats need constant low-voltage power through a common wire, usually called the C-wire. Older thermostat cable may have only enough conductors for heat, cooling and the fan, which leaves a choice between a manufacturer's power adapter, an extra conductor pulled through the wall, or a thermostat that draws its power another way. Pulling new cable is the cleanest fix when the route from the furnace to the hallway allows it.
Peak Perks is built around central air conditioning, including heat pumps that are part of central air, controlled by an eligible smart thermostat, with a limit of three thermostats per home where each runs its own system. A house with a second system, such as a separate unit for the upper floor, needs a thermostat for each, and every one needs dependable power to stay connected through a summer event. As of October 2026, the program pays $75 at enrolment and $20 a year after that, subject to its timing rules.
Lighting Control in Ajax Homes
Smart lighting is the next layer: switches and dimmers that run on schedules, occupancy sensors in laundry rooms and closets, and exterior lights that follow sunset. Each smart switch takes the place of a standard switch in the wall, so the box has to be deep enough for the device and, for most models, contain a neutral conductor. Where a box lacks one, adding a neutral is published at $150 to $300 per switch location.
Outdoor lighting deserves its own plan. Soffit lights, garage coach lights and a landscape lighting transformer can be grouped onto a smart switch or relay so they follow a single schedule, and an exterior receptacle for seasonal lighting can be controlled the same way. Grouping the outdoor loads at the planning stage avoids a collection of plug-in timers by the front door.
Doing It Yourself Versus Hiring It Out in Ajax
Swapping a switch looks simple, and ESA does let homeowners do electrical work in their own home, provided they file the notification themselves and have the work reviewed. What ESA does not allow is a friend, relative or neighbour doing that work for you, and a handyman cannot take it on without an electrical contractor licence. When KV Bear Electrical does the job, the Licensed Electrical Contractor files the notification and you get a copy of the ESA Certificate of Acceptance when it passes.
Cost depends on the mix of devices. Our published price for wiring and installing a smart thermostat is $150 to $250, a neutral run to a switch box is $150 to $300 per location, and larger automation layouts are quoted on their scope after a walk-through. To plan home automation wiring in your Ajax home, call 905-999-5048 or request a quote below.
Smart Home Installation in Ajax: Common Questions
Can my Ajax home join Peak Perks if it has a heat pump?
Yes, if the heat pump is part of a central air conditioning system and is controlled by a Wi-Fi smart thermostat on Save on Energy's eligible list. Ajax homes are Elexicon customers on Ontario's grid; the program's exclusion is for Cornwall customers, who are connected to a different grid.
Why does the smart thermostat in my Ajax house keep losing its connection?
A common cause is a missing or unreliable C-wire, which leaves the thermostat drawing power through the heating or cooling wires. Adding a conductor, or a manufacturer-approved adapter at the furnace, gives it steady power so it stays online.
Can a handyman install smart switches in my Ajax home?
Not unless the handyman holds an electrical contractor licence. ESA's rules let homeowners do their own electrical work after filing a notification, but anyone you hire must be a Licensed Electrical Contracting Business.
When should my Ajax thermostat schedule ease off the air conditioning?
On the Ultra-Low Overnight plan, the weekday on-peak period runs from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., the most expensive hours on that plan as of October 2026. Cooling the house earlier in the afternoon and letting the thermostat ease off during those hours can lower the cost, and the same idea works on other time-of-use plans.
What Our Customers Are Saying
“Kyle was extremely courteous, professional and friendly. He did a commendable job and even gave me a tip for a tripping issue without even having to look at it. He knows what he is doing. Would be my go to guy for anything electrical.”
“The entire process from quotation through contracting and performance of the work by Kyle was completed professionally and without any issues. The panel upgrade and EV charger installations are clean and neat and it is evident that Kyle takes pride in the quality of his work. Upon completion of the installations, Kyle ensured that the work site was 100% cleaned up.”
“KV Bear was recommended to us by a friend. We wanted to install a Tesla charger only to find out our electrical panel was known for faulting resulting in an electrical fire. He showed us signs of the panel arcing. The work was clean, professional, and fast! We are so happy we hired a professional.”