Becoming more aware of your energy consumption will not only save you potentially hundreds of dollars a year, but it will also lessen your impact on the environment. With more and more homeowners converting their homes with smart technology and more smart homes being built, the combined effort can really make an impact on not only the present state of the planet but its condition for future generations to come. Energy savings through smart home technology is available through many different devices, varying from small changes to total home makeovers. Here’s a look at some smart tech to use in your home.
Smart Thermostats
Your HVAC system takes up about half of your total household energy usage. With smart thermostats, like Nest, you can not only save a significant amount of money and energy, but you’ll be able to contribute to national energy savings. The Nest thermostat is able to adjust your temperature at nonpeak hours, so you’re not impacting the electricity grid when millions of other homeowners are turning up their heat or air conditioning at the same time. Features like auto-away, which detects when you leave the house and automatically changes your household temperature to conserve energy use, add to its overall appeal. With an eight-year total energy savings of 4 billion kWh in millions of homes across the world, Nest is making a global impact on energy conservation. Most smart thermostats are easy to install yourself, but to make things even easier, let Mr. Electric do it for you.
Smart Lighting
While half your energy bill goes to heating and cooling, 25 percent of it goes toward lighting. Turning off the lights when you’re not in a room or not home at all is always a good idea, but it’s easy to leave lights on, wasting energy accidentally. Easy additions like automatic timers and motion sensors can significantly cut down on wasted energy, but smart lighting takes it a step further. Being able to check if your lights are on and shut them off via an app on your smartphone or set your app to alert you when they’re on can give you ultimate control over the lighting in your home. Paired with LED light bulbs, a smart lighting system can help cut your lighting energy usage in half.
Smart Appliances
When energy is used at the same time across the country, it puts a strain on the electrical grid, as we discussed earlier. One of the highest peak times is the early evening when a large percentage of Americans are preparing dinner for themselves and their families. Smart appliances, like a smart convection oven, use features like carbon fiber heating, which eliminates the need for preheating and produces much quicker cooking times for most foods. Most smart ovens use around 25 percent less energy than a traditional oven while lessening the strain on the national energy grid, not to mention taking the stress out of dinner time. Besides smart ovens, a smart refrigerator is an excellent way to cut your energy costs. With alarms that alert you when doors are open too long, and temperature zones designed to keep certain foods chilled perfectly without wasting energy, a smart refrigerator is an essential addition to your smart home. Some models will even allow you to check the contents inside while you’re grocery shopping, cutting down on unnecessary food waste.
House Energy Monitors
After you’ve installed all this smart tech, consider installing an energy monitor for your whole house. With the help of Mr. Electric energy monitor installation, you will be aware of the total amount of energy used in your entire home, so there are no surprises at the end of the month. An energy monitor works by connecting to your power meter and monitoring how much total energy is being used. Smart monitors can individualize the usage, so you know which appliances or areas of your home are consuming the most power so you can adjust accordingly. Some even alert your smartphone when you have reached limits you’ve set for yourself or give you tips on how you can conserve energy. If reducing your carbon footprint is your ultimate goal, an energy monitor is a way to do it. Mr. Electric can help you choose the right monitor for your home and make the installation process easy.
Save Green by Going Green
A substantial benefit to energy saving through smart home systems is that you’ll save money while becoming more aware of your home’s impact on the environment, both now and in the future. Start small, maybe by installing a smart thermostat, and go from there. Mr. Electric is here to help you through the process, so contact us for energy savings ideas or for help installing your new smart products. Call us or schedule an appointment today.
