Without any doubt, smart homes are one of the wonders of the 21st century. The inter-connectivity of devices has drastically changed how we use our household appliances. Now, we have much more control over devices than we had in the past, allowing much greater flexibility and convenience.
Remote access, location-based controls, and energy-saving modes are just some features of smart home devices while comfort and energy-saving are the most prominent benefits. How do these devices save energy, and which devices are a must-have for a smart home? Let’s have a closer look!
Why Do You Need Smart Home Devices & How Do They Save Energy?
Apart from the novelty factor, smart home devices serve an essential purpose in the household.
With the US Energy Information Agency predicting residential energy prices to increase by 1.2% in 2021, it is sensible to adopt the smart life early on and reap the benefits. But, how do smart devices save you money?
The answer is simple; by carefully optimizing according to your preference and habits.
Let’s take temperature as an example. You might have been using your air conditioning at 70 degrees for the whole day; with smart air conditioning, you can simply set your preferred room temperature, and the controller will adjust automatically. The air conditioner can run at 70 degrees for only a couple of hours instead of all day and have the same effect, thus reducing energy consumption. The same can be done with smart lights, washing machines, dryers, and many more appliances.
Let’s see some of the devices with which you can save on your monthly bills!
1- Have the Perfect Temperature – Smart Heating and Cooling
Nowadays, air conditioning is synonymous with smart heating and cooling. Gone are the days when you would reach out to the remote and control the temperature. Smart heating and cooling devices like smart thermostats and smart AC controllers (a thermostat for mini-split, window, and portable ACs) have made this task easier. You can control the temperature with a single tap on your phone – as easy as sending a message to someone, but here, you send a message to your air conditioner.
Smart thermostats and smart AC controllers come with intuitive and easy-to-use apps that help you save energy. They let you monitor your usage, and you can tailor your air conditioning habits according to your routine, ensuring that there is no extra use. Not to mention, they consist of several advanced features also such as geofencing, scheduling, and other intelligent triggers.
2- Go Bright With Smart Lighting
If you do not have smart lighting, then you are missing out on some cool stuff. Smart lighting is one part of smart homes that offers impressive features. Unlike conventional lighting systems, you can control smart lights from your phone.
Some smart lights allow you to change colors, while some come equipped with motion sensors! These sensors turn on the lighting only when you are around. When nobody is present, they switch off or become dim.
Other sensors in smart lights help them to optimize their performance even more. Smart lights can use sensors that detect the amount of sunlight present in the room and adjust their brightness accordingly. Moreover, weather data is also utilized, and they adjust the intensity as per need.
Smart lights use LEDs that use less energy than traditional incandescent lighting.
3- Spin It Up With Smart Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans may offer limited cooling capabilities but do so at a minimal price point. The energy consumption of ceiling fans is on the lower end of the spectrum, so they are trending in moderate climate zones.
Taking it a step further, smart ceiling fans allow remote control using a smartphone. You can power up the fan before you reach home so that your room is breezy by the time you arrive. Or suppose you are at the office and have a pet at home, and you see the temperature rising steadily. You can turn the fan on from your smartphone and achieve a comfortable temperature at home.
Some other features include scheduling and home assistant compatibility. Furthermore, you can achieve energy savings on your air conditioning too. Your smart fan and AC can run in sync, allowing you to save by reducing your AC usage. Running your air conditioner a few degrees higher in summer can save 10% of the total air conditioner compressor cycles, thus consuming less energy.
4- Smart Plugs
Smart plugs are the latest in smart home technology, and they can be very convenient to have around the home. Smart plugs automate your power plugs, enabling global control. Now, whatever appliance you have connected to, your power socket can be turned on or off from your smartphone.
These can be table lamps, extension cords, portable standing fans, and much more. Moreover, with a smart plug, you can monitor your energy consumption and fine-tune your usage to save more energy. For example, you can turn off the lamps, television, decorative items, and other such electrical items from your smartphone just before going to bed, thus reducing energy wastage.
Smart Plugs can also be used for air conditioners, but they are not recommended!
5- Let the Sun Shine With Smart Blinds!
Imagine this: You wake up on a Sunday morning, the sun shining bright on the outside. You get up slightly, stretch your arms out, and say, “Open the blinds, please,” and your window blinds move to the side and let the gorgeous morning rays of the sun pierce through the darkness in your room. Seems something out of a movie, right? Well, not quite.
Smart blinds make this possible, thanks to Wi-Fi connectivity. Your blinds can now be controlled through your smartphone and voice controls with smart home assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Make full use of this new tech innovation, and let your room light up naturally rather than using bulbs. Smart blinds can automatically sense light levels in a room, and by allowing natural light into the room as required, almost 3% of energy expenditures can be saved in lighting costs. That is not all. By allowing direct sunlight in a room, a maximum of 20% can be saved in heating costs.
Final Thoughts
Smart home devices indeed are a safe investment to make for your home and will serve you well in the long run. They can return the initial cost within a short duration, help your monthly budget and result in a visible improvement in your daily life. Let’s get smart!
