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People around the globe are dealing with the coronavirus pandemic by sheltering in place and working from home. If you’re usually home for most of the day, your utilities are going to double or even triple.
This ultimately depends on how much time you’re likely to spend at the office or out for meals under normal circumstances. Chances are that you’re using more electricity, lights, and climate control while working, making lunch, and binge-watching Netflix.
All these things contribute to higher bills. People have begun looking for smart home energy solutions to reduce their monthly utility bills. A smart thermostat is one example that’s highly efficient as it automatically adjusts your home’s temperature to the continuously changing energy needs.
Here are some ways to run a smart home that saves you money.
Smart Lighting
We can all agree that lighting is the one thing that consumes a lot of energy if it’s left unattended, which is more often than you think. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that the lights have been turned off before leaving the room.
That being said, if one wants to live in a smart home, it’s highly recommended to optimize smart lights in the house. Smart light bulbs are directly connected to your home Wi-Fi network and are controlled through an app, smart hub, or bridge.
Smart lights are able to detect your schedule and adjust the lighting according to it. They’ll automatically turn on once you’re home, and turn off when no one’s around. You can also opt for smart lights that have a dimming feature, they will consume less energy.
Apart from that, sensor-controlled smart lights are also another option. As mentioned above, they have the ability to sense motion. Moreover, you can control them remotely from your smartphone, hence you don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn them off while leaving for work. You can purchase some of the best smart lights such as Sengled’s and Philips Hue from FirstEnergy.
Smart Plugs
When wanting to start a smart home, we’re usually unsure where to begin, especially if there’s no smart home platform established yet. You can start your smart home journey by using smart plugs.
Similar to smart lights, smart plugs are able to automatically turn on/off your smart home appliances on a schedule. They can further monitor how much energy is being consumed and create scenes.
Smart devices that are plugged into smart plugs will not just monitor the energy consumption but also manage it. You can control them remotely through their apps on your mobile phone and it’ll view the total amount of energy consumed, switch it on/off and program its times of use.
If you’re particularly interested in conserving power and not just automation, make sure to choose a smart plug that has an energy monitoring option in it.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats are becoming more and more popular in smart homes. Smart thermostats and temperature sensors both have the ability to adjust to your home’s energy needs while it’s being used.
You can program a smart thermostat and also control them remotely through its app on your smartphone. What you should do is set the smart thermostat to have its furnace off when no one’s home, but also warm the place before returning.
Smart thermostats aren’t just used in winter but during summer as well. You can manage the temperature threshold according to the seasons. The thermostat learns your location through the app’s location data.
These connected smart thermostats can manage the HVAC system with several extra features that an unconnected model won’t have. Smart thermostat settings will inevitably help one save on their heating bill.
Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detectors
Water leaks are one of the most common things that put a strain on our wallets when the water bill comes in. When there’s a water leak or pipes freeze, it not only impacts your utility bill but can cause you to pay for expensive repairs and cleanups to be done.
Having a smart water leak and freeze detector is a great help in stopping leaks before it causes damage to your expensive furniture, personal items, and electronics. In fact, water leaks can also damage the infrastructure of your home.
This is why it’s highly recommended to install water leak detectors under your sinks, behind your washing machine or if there’s another water source. These detectors will alert you through a text or even email you if there’s a water problem.
This will allow you to take quick action and if you’re not home, you can call a plumbing service to repair it as soon as possible. Early detection can always help you avoid wasting water or having to replace any ruined furniture.
Conclusion
If you start searching for ways to get smart home energy savings, you’ll find plenty of ways this can be done. However, investing in smart devices will also help the planet. We hope this article gave you an insight into how you can be cost-efficient with smart home devices.
