19 Aug 2020 Smart homes: Measures increase energy efficiency

Posted at 1:02 PMh in Food & Home Entertaining, Home by

The future is becoming a reality. Automation is a part of our daily lives, and we have the power to control almost everything from our smartphones. Smart home products not only make your life more convenient; they can also lower your energy bills.

In a do-it-yourself smart home, you can target some of the home’s biggest energy users. In fact, most households could cut a third of their current energy bills by switching to energy-efficient appliances, equipment and lighting. Smart thermostats can cut a chunk out of the 48 percent energy use heating and cooling accounts for, while smart plugs and switches combined with LED bulbs can mitigate the more than 30 percent electronics, lighting and other appliances consume monthly.

The average household in the U.S. spends almost $2,000 on energy costs annually. Conway Corp customers spend less, thanks to having one of the cheapest electric rates in the nation and the cheapest in Arkansas, but saving even more money is always a welcome idea.

SMART THERMOSTATS

Almost half of the typical utility bill goes toward heating and cooling. When summer temps rise, it’s tempting to blast your air conditioning in an attempt to stay cool. But you might have sticker shock when you see your monthly statement.

A smart thermostat offers the flexibility and power to control the climate in your home efficiently by automatically adjusting the heating and cooling settings. Typical features include programming temperatures you prefer, developing an ideal automated schedule, providing energy usage data and enabling control of your home’s temperature through your smartphone.

Utilizing a smart thermostat can save 15 percent or nearly $150 on yearly utility bills.

SMART LIGHTING

More than 25 percent of the average utility bill is spent on just lighting the home. Simply turning off lights when you don’t need them can drastically reduce energy use, but it’s easy to forget when you leave the house in a hurry. With smart lighting, forgetting is a thing of the past.

Switching to smart light bulbs and smart switches can cut lighting costs by as much as 50 percent. These can be customized, scheduled and even controlled remotely through a mobile device. Set timers for lights to go off automatically when you usually leave for work or use your phone to make sure you turned the coffee pot off before walking out the door.

Even swapping existing incandescent bulbs for energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) can make a big difference. For the same amount of light, CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer.

SMART POWER STRIPS

Electronics in your home are using electricity even when you aren’t aware of it. Devices plugged into your wall – even when powered off – are using power.

On average, the standby power consumption for a home ranges from 5 to 10 percent of total household energy consumption. For the average American, that’s almost $200 of wasted electricity on devices not in use.

The best way to stop this from happening is simply identifying the culprits and unplugging. But when it’s not convenient – like a TV plugged in behind a large entertainment center – smart power strips can help.

They can shut down power products that go into standby mode, which can save some serious energy. 

CONWAY CORP SMART    

It’s easier than you think to start making your home a smart home. Conway Corp security and automation offers a whole-home system that provides peace of mind as well as energy efficiency opportunities. Turn off the lights when you’re at work or on vacation. Adjust your thermostat if the temperature changes unexpectedly. The possibilities are endless – and so are the money savings.

Visit ConwayCorp.com/services/security to learn more or call 501.450.6000 to schedule a free consultation with one of our security and automation specialists.

Beth Jimmerson
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