How Much Money (and Energy) Can I Save Using Home Automation?
If you ́re looking to make substantial savings on energy consumption in your house, whether it is to fit a reduced budget or if it's just environmental awareness, then Home Automation is the place to look.
The future home is smart about energy efficiency and with the use of wifi connections, integration among devices, intelligent programming and many other tools, you can have total control over the amount of energy your home consumes. We ́re talking about a whole spectrum of devices designed to make every aspect of your home more sustainable and future-proof while saving on energy usage (when used correctly).
When can I use Smart Home technology?
Let's say that most aspects of a house that use electricity, can be automated and generally you will find a lot of solutions available in the market as replacements or retrofits. This is what makes Home Automation an investment for homeowners knowing the savings could outweigh the initial cost in the long run.
The technology is not just a good investment that can be eco-friendly, it is something that enhances the way that a house runs, which can enhance its energy efficiency, without losing control over your devices.
What aspects of my home can be upgraded?
Smart Home technology has evolved so fast that right now nearly every aspect of a home can be automated. Lighting and heating are the most notable solutions when considering energy-saving solutions, some products even learn your habit to prevent unnecessary energy consumption. Even though not all solutions from Smart Home technology are energy-saving they all come with an added value to provide futuristic experience or peace of mind. Here you have four solutions that will enhance aspects of your home, like energy consumption. They ´re also independent, so you can implement them without incurring in big smart home improvements.
Smart Thermostats
This technology takes thermostats to a whole different level, and we believe it is the best way to enhance a home’s energy efficiency from a single device. We ´re talking about a mechanism that not only regulates temperature in the house - by using modern sensors and algorithms - but that will learn from your daily routine and habits, so it can prepare heating and cooling changes according to your patterns, that way you'll always have the temperature you want without moving a finger.
In addition to the fact that it actually learns from you, smart thermostats can also detect when it is not necessary to use and based on local weather data it can use natural temperature as well, which translates into significant energy usage reductions. But don´t take it from us, see the study conducted by Nest Labs, on the efficiency of smart heating technology versus energy usage.
Smart Light Bulbs
Lighting is responsible for most of our energy usage, so naturally, an upgrade on your lighting can represent a real aid in terms of reducing energy usage. Plus, smart lighting technology can be integrated with other aspects of Home Automation - Security for instance - for full control over your house. Intelligent Lighting and Smart Bulbs can also be handled through smartphone apps.
Just like with thermostats this technology can also monitor your habits by making them work along with motion sensors, so you can’t leave a room’s light on when not in use.
Smart Appliances
Appliances are also accountable for heavy energy usage. Oven, microwave, washing machine, refrigerator they all make a big part of the charges on your electricity bill. Moreover, if such appliances are out-of-date, the chances are that the costs are going to be even higher. Take advantage of companies like Samsung, that makes smart devices for different aspects of the home that can also be integrated among them which may translate into reduced energy costs.
Smart Switches
This solution fits perfect to any homeowner looking to a total user-friendly experience. We ´re talking about a smart switch that takes care of lighting, blinds, and audio. Just a few taps and you ´ll have control over multiple aspects in just one switch. Plus some of them they come with a fantastic feature that allows the user to just tap three times on the switch and it will automatically turn off all appliances that are connected, a perfect solution to reduce energy usage when you’re rushing out the door.
Home Automation technology is right now on a stage where it can fit almost any budget, so you can start little by little, either upgrading your heating/cooling systems or maybe the security aspects of it. This is an actual investment that will not only future-proof your residence, but it will also make you save on electricity bills if appropriately used, and you can also help to save the planet while doing it. A win-win situation.