The United States over the last few years has seen a transformation in its domestic home market. More and more homeowners are shifting toward a Smart Home. What exactly is a Smart Home given that the term is so commonly thrown around these days?
A Smart Home is a setup where smart devices that connect to the internet and Wi-Fi allow homeowners to automate and control their homes remotely and wirelessly. These automated systems monitor the home attributes and contribute towards energy efficiency as well as home security.
Smart Homes and Energy Efficiency
The question arises that if smart homes are really that energy-efficient, do they actually account for lower utility bills? Well, that is true. Homeowners may not see an immediate reduction in their heating, cooling, or water bills, but overtime smart devices are a major reason behind the reduction in billing. That is because of the technology they feature, and their ability to be controlled remotely, it leaves no room for carelessness on the homeowners’ part.
A good way to test out this theory for yourself would be to invest in a First Energy savings kit. There are several such kits available on their websites that bundle up two to three smart devices at very reasonable rates.+ Another way to test this is by hiring light companies with no deposit if you want to quickly get your lights on although it may take some time to see results, it’s worth it in the long run.
What Smart Devices Contribute to Lower Bills?
- Google Nest Learning Thermostat
Retail Price $249
Independent studies have concluded that the Nest Thermostat can save around 10 to 12% on heating bills and around 15% on cooling bills. As its name suggests, this device quite literally learns the preferred temperature settings of a home and can automatically adjust itself accordingly throughout the day. It even lights up, displaying the time and the room temperature or weather when it detects someone across the room.
Here’s the greatest bit of the Nest Learning Thermostat though. Much like all smart devices, this one can also be controlled through the Google Home app on your smartphones and tablets, and lets homeowners control their device from either while they’re sitting in the living room, or from their work desk at the office – no room for energy wastage! But what’s more is that the Nest Learning Thermostat can turn itself down automatically if it notices that you are not home. And while operating on an eco-friendly temperature setting the device displays a little leaf, hinting at the fact that you’ve chosen an eco-friendly temperature. Homeowners can also view energy history from the smartphone app to see energy patterns.
- Sengled Smart WI-FI Led Multicolor Bulb
Retail Price $34.99
Smart Bulbs have been one of the greatest inventions to have graced the world. Imagine the amount of electricity you could save with these! You previously would have found these installed in commercial buildings like university dormitories or office hallways along within the corridors of apartment buildings. But now that smart technology, including smart bulbs are easily available to the domestic customer, why not use the technology to become energy efficient and cut down on the electrical bill every month?
The Sengled Multicolor Bulb is an LED bulb with a lifespan of up to 25000 hours. It can switch from warm to white tones and to over 16 million colors too, along with the ability to have its brightness levels adjusted anytime. Individual bulbs are connected to the home Wi-Fi network and can be controlled through the Sengled Home mobile app. Set schedules for individual bulbs or rooms around the house based on your routine, and create an ambiance for date nights, movie nights, or even dinner parties! What’s more is that these bulbs are voice assistant compatible, as well as with hubs like Zigbee, Samsung SmartThings, and IFTTT.
- Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller
Retail Price $229.99
Save up on water usage and that water bill every month by installing the Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller. With its Weather Intelligence Plus technology that can access data from up to 300,000 weather stations, this smart controller can predict weather forecasts and change, and use the information to automatically adjust the watering schedule of your lawn when needed– and to use the adequate amount of water that is required each time. If it is forecasted to rain, it would skip the watering on a particular day.
Similarly, the device adjusts watering schedules tailored particularly to your lawn or yard’s needs so that you don’t always have to manually work the sprinkler system yourself. So not only does it save water consumption in the process, it also provides homeowners with the convenience of looking after their yard through their smartphones.
Conclusion
Smart devices do provide energy efficiency along with lower utility bills over time for homeowners. Head on over to FirstEnergy Home’s website www.firstenergyhome.com and check out their smart home catalog. They also offer kits at affordable prices that bundle up 2 to 3 smart devices that would otherwise provide seamless connectivity and automation and complement each other as well.