The biggest expense in a home is energy bills, and often people try various methods to reduce them. One of the most significant advantages of smart home systems is that they provide advanced energy saving. For example, household appliances such as smart thermostats, smart air conditioners, smart bulbs save money by using them only when necessary. In addition, smart home systems can detect inefficiencies and minimize waste of electricity, water, and gas.
There are many ways to save energy with web-connected devices in smart homes. Smart home automation offers more than just reduce bills. These systems also help protect our planet. Here are 13 energy-saving tips for smart home systems.
Turning Off Unnecessary Lights
A home automation system can save energy by turning off lights that people forget to turn off while leaving a room. Motion sensors send commands to turn on the lights when the room is occupied and turn off them when there is no movement in the room. Furthermore, the smart lighting system can be programmed to provide the desired level of brightness at the specified times of the day.
Temperature Adjustment
The smart home system allows the planning of temperature changes in the house in order to adapt to daily life. There is no need to keep the house warm all the time when there is no one in the house. Temperature changes can be coordinated with other automated electronic devices and systems such as smart curtains, smart thermostats, smart air conditioners, and lighting. Simply put, when no one is at home, the smart home reduces the temperature to save energy and raises it to the desired level near the time the residents arrive home.
Closing Curtains
Especially in summer, the sunlight entering through the window warms the house quite a lot. Due to the effects of sunlight flowing in through the windows, air conditioners have to spend extra power to cool the house. Automatic motorized curtains are quite popular among energy-saving methods. The curtains close at certain times of the day and keep the house cool, preventing the air conditioners from working excessively.
Ceiling Fans Control
Ceiling fans can be turned on and off using pre-programmed controls. Fans circulate cold or hot air to help air conditioning systems operate in the most efficient way, thereby they save money and energy on a regular basis by reducing the energy consumption of the house throughout the year.
Custom Commands
Sometimes some devices in the house can be left on. The automation system can be programmed to turn off electronic devices that work by scanning the house. A customized ‘everything off’ feature is a simple solution to ensure that unused devices are turned off. This customization both saves energy and strengthens the safety of the house.
Energy Spent by Turned Off Devices
Surprisingly, various devices such as blow dryers, toasters, microwave ovens consume a certain amount of power even when turned off. The energy spent by plugged-in but closed devices accounts for about 10% of the monthly electricity bill. In the past, the only way to prevent this energy consumption was to unplug the devices when not in use. In the home automation system, the energy flow of unused devices can be terminated with a simple smart plug.
Smart Water Leakage and Frost Detectors
Water leak detectors, which are among the most efficient energy-saving solutions yet draw little attention, can save you great expenses. When there is a water leak or the pipes freeze, it can flood the house, resulting in expensive cleaning and repairs. Smart water leakage and frost detectors prevent leaks from growing and help stop leakage without damaging valuable memories, electronic devices, and personal treasures.
Smart water leak detectors must be installed under the sinks or near the water tanks. These detectors can send a message or an email to the resident if there is a water problem. Early intervention prevents the waste of gallons of water. Water leakage and frost detectors, which are important among the ways to save energy, also protect our planet.
Smart Thermostats
The highest energy expenditure in the house is caused by the heating and cooling system of the house. Smart thermostats and temperature sensors, which have great popularity among ways to save energy, can instantly regulate expenses. When there is no one in the house, there is less demand for heating and cooling. Smart thermostats can be programmed and controlled remotely by smartphones. The thermostat keeps the air conditioner or boiler off when no one is home and can activate these devices to heat or cool the house just before residents arrive. These smart settings help save the high amount of energy that air conditioning systems spend.
Smart Bulbs
Smart bulbs speak to the Wi-Fi network and can be controlled by an app. Smart bulbs can be programmed to turn on and off to save energy just like the smart thermostats. Some types of smart bulbs detect movement in the house without the need for an extra motion sensor and can be switched on and off automatically. You can also adjust the brightness of a smart bulb as needed, saving electricity by dimming the lights when no bright light is required.
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs are great energy-saving tools that can be easily installed even in homes without smart home automation installation. A smart plug can halt the energy flow of unused appliances for a certain period of time and monitor their energy use, alerting the residents about devices that consume too much energy. Smart plug applications allow programming of usage times, remote power on and off, and even displaying total energy consumption.
Smart Kitchen Appliances And White Goods
One of the simplest ways to save energy is to replace white goods and kitchen appliances with smart technology products. Smart white goods and kitchen appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, and coffee machines are in constant communication with their users due to the developing technology. For example, when the refrigerator door is left open, the phone receives a notification. When the smart washing machine fails, it can send an email to the technical service regarding the problem. If necessary, repairs and maintenance can be performed immediately, extending the life of the devices at a low cost. Goods that do not need to work continuously, such as dishwashers or dryers, can be programmed to work when the minimum price is charged in houses that pay different electricity charges during peak electricity hours.
Smart Security Systems
Smart security systems are not the first thing that springs to mind when thinking about ways to save energy, yet contrary to popular assumptions, security systems are highly efficient energy-saving technologies. Smart home security systems communicate by phone when there is an intruder and allow live broadcasting of the property’s camera footage. These features keep the user safe while reducing costs. False alarms are a common problem in home security systems. Local police can also issue fines for repeated false calls. With the smart security system, you can find out what really caused the alarm without panic.
Smart Sprinkler Systems
Smart sprinkler systems, which are especially popular among the energy-saving methods of houses with gardens, use automatic irrigation systems that follow weather forecasts. These sprinklers automatically adjust the lawn irrigation time according to the probability of rain. Sprinklers that irrigate in certain periods stop when it rains and schedule the time to work again according to the current humidity. Smart irrigation systems are very useful and energy-saving systems. The smart sprinkler also generates water usage reports.