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  • How To Save Energy With Home Automation

    ONE OF THE MAIN ADVANTAGES TO SWITCHING TO HOME AUTOMATION IS SAVING ENERGY, WHICH IN TURN WILL SAVE YOU MONEY.

    Depending on which devices you upgrade, you can save a substantial amount of energy. For example: A Nest smart thermostat saves 10% to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling, while a motion-sensor light can save 35-45% on energy consumption.

    Listed below are a few ways that home automation can save energy at home.

    Check for vampire drain:

    Vampire drain means when an electronic device drains energy even when turned off. TVs, cell phones plugged into the wall, computers, stereos, video game consoles, and microwaves are all common devices that can suck energy. While unplugging these devices can help, it’s not always possible. Switching to Energy Star-certified appliances is a start. Oftentimes our appliances are old and use a lot more energy than their modern-day counterparts. Energy Star certification means the appliance is designed to lower energy usage AND save you money. Another option is using smart plugs. These little devices let you plug in a device and turn them off by voice command or Alexa.

    Switch to smart lighting:

    Did you know that old light bulbs use anywhere from 25-80% more energy than modern energy-efficient light bulbs? While smart light bulbs usually cost more than traditional incandescent bulbs, they will save you up to $75 a year and last 3-25 times longer. For even greater savings, set your lighting on a schedule or switch to motion-sensor. Many lighting brands such as Lutron or Colorbeam now have bulbs that you can control from an app on your phone.

    Upgrade your kitchen appliances:

    Unfortunately, we live in a world where waste is common. Oftentimes consumers swap out big-ticket items such as TVs, computers, and cell phones every year. We understand the desire to not rid of appliances when they work perfectly fine, but if your home is full of energy-sucking devices, it might be time to consider an upgrade. Nowadays, every kitchen appliance you can think of, from the refrigerator to the toaster to the oven, has a smart option. We know buying new appliances can get expensive, but when a new fridge uses 60% less energy, the long-term savings is worth it.

    Automate your heating and cooling:

    Your heating and cooling systems are one of the biggest energy sucks in your house, accounting for 47% of energy consumption. Fortunately switching to a smart thermostat such as Nest uses 15% less energy. That’s a $131-$145 savings each year. As for their competitor ecobee, their research has found that their smart thermostats use 23% less energy. Fortunately, most of these devices cost between $100-$300, meaning they will pay for themselves after 1-2 years.

    Bottom line:

    Switching to home automation might create some upfront costs, but in the long run you’ll not only be saving yourself money, you’ll also be helping the environment too.

    Contact us to learn more, or get a free consultation!