Smart home technology involves multiple internet-connected devices allowing remote monitoring of your appliances and other household systems. These devices essentially allow you access to all your home’s systems from the convenience of your smartphone. In fact, smart technology is a great way to help boost energy efficiency for homeowners.
Smart Thermostats
One of the most well-known ways that smart technology can enhance energy efficiency is through smart thermostats. These units help you learn your usage habits and suggest how to adjust your thermostat to optimize energy usage.
They allow you to program specific temperature settings for different days and times, reducing HVAC system usage when no one is home. Furthermore, smart thermostats offer real-time system monitoring, so you can monitor your energy usage. This will allow you to make better-informed decisions regarding your future energy usage.
Smart Light Bulbs
Another tremendous smart home investment is smart light bulbs. These LED bulbs allow you to control your lights wirelessly from the convenience of your smartphone. You can program a schedule for when to turn your lights on and off. Even better, you can easily set different brightness levels so you can further reduce your energy usage.
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs are an introductory level of smart technology that gives homeowners control over the usage of individual plugs. You can program times when the plug should be automatically turned on and off. You can remotely alter the plug’s settings on your smartphone device. These plugs even allow you to monitor the energy usage of the plug so you can be more knowledgeable about its overall usage. Apart from smart plugs, you can also use smart power strips.
Smart Appliances
The number of appliances that are available in smart models is quite astounding. You can enjoy the use of smart washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, and so much more. Besides convenient alerts, like letting you know when maintenance is necessary, these devices can also enhance energy efficiency. Many are specifically designed to use less energy to operate than their predecessors. Furthermore, some will even alert you to the best time to use your appliance to enjoy cheaper energy costs during off-peak hours.
Smart Home Fans
One great addition to any home is smart fans. These devices have been shown to allow homeowners to change the temperature on their thermostats by up to four degrees without noticing a change in room temperature. During the summer, these fans create a necessary breeze to cool down your body.
In the winter, they turn in the opposite direction to force hot air from the top of the room back down to the floor to be reused. Smart home fans have integrated technology that allows them to detect when someone is in a room and automatically turn on. They will also automatically turn off once you leave the room.
Smart Windows
One newer form of smart home technology is the smart window. This window can alter its tint based on the amount of sunlight that it detects. At low levels of sunlight, the windows allow for maximum viewing to help reduce your need for artificial lighting.
However, these smart windows will become more tinted when sunlight gets very strong. This helps to control the interior temperature of your home, which can be ideal for lowering cooling bills during the hot summer months. If you don’t want to invest in smart windows, smart blinds are a much cheaper alternative that offers similar functionality and energy savings.
Smart Solar Panel Integration
Solar energy is a great way to produce the necessary energy for your home without having to rely solely on your local power grid. Smart solar panels can easily integrate with your smart home devices to determine your energy needs. Their smart inverter will adjust automatically to allow for maximum solar energy usage for your home.
Smart Water Heaters
Smart water heaters are another great option for reducing energy usage throughout the year. These units can connect wirelessly to your smartphone, allowing you to program desired settings. Your water heater can automatically shut off when you leave your home and turn back on when you return.
Smart Home Energy Management Systems
Smart home energy management systems can monitor the energy usage of all the electrical items throughout your home. By getting a big-picture view of what items are drawing the most energy and when, you can be well-equipped to make decisions about your future energy usage. You can make many strategic moves to enhance your home’s efficiency, whether it’s unplugging items you don’t regularly use to prevent phantom draws or changing the settings on your water heater.
Tips on Successfully Implementing Smart Home Technology
With all the vast benefits that smart home technology offers homeowners, deciding to integrate them into your home can be a very wise decision. While it can be pretty overwhelming when you first think about it, we will share a few tips that should make the process much easier for you.
It can be very helpful to start by determining what smart technology you want to integrate into your home. List all the different smart home options we went over above, like water heaters and thermostats. When doing research into what brands to purchase, be sure to opt for compatibility among all your smart devices.
While you can certainly use any smart home device separately, having all devices compatible with a smart home energy management system can be helpful. This compatibility will allow you to get the most beneficial data from your smart home system.
When you purchase a new smart home device, it’s imperative that you take advantage of its automation features. This includes items like setting up schedules and even activating machine learning capabilities. It can be very overwhelming when you first get a new smart home device, especially if you’re uncomfortable with modern smart devices.
However, don’t put off this necessary automation step, as it will severely restrict your system’s ability to be as energy-efficient as possible. Be sure to make it a habit to review your energy usage data every one to two months. By reviewing your usage, you can make better decisions about how to adjust your smart home devices to increase your annual energy savings further.
Additionally, be sure to invest in an internet package that offers enough bandwidth for all your smart home devices to thrive. If you notice sluggishness after adding a new smart device, it’s a critical indication that it’s time to upgrade your bandwidth.
Reliable Smart Home Service
Dawson's Electric offers the entire Raleigh, NC, community smart home services. We can assist with all your electrical repair, panel, EV charging, outdoor lighting, GFCI outlet, surge protection, whole-home generator, electrical grounding, lighting, wiring, and rewiring needs. Financing is available on approved credit and monthly online specials. Call us today to book your next electrical service consultation with one of our experienced electricians.
