Smart Home, Smart Savings

Easy tech upgrades for lower energy bills

Want to spend less on your energy bills without sacrificing comfort or convenience? Smart home technology can help make this reality, and maybe make your home feel more futuristic in the process.

From smart thermostats to lighting you control with your phone, smart homes include a range of interconnected devices that can automate tasks, provide real-time data, and even save you money! While some devices are all about efficiency, others are simply fun to use or add a high-tech touch to your home.

And here’s the good news: you don’t need to go all-in to start seeing benefits. If a fully connected smart home isn’t in your budget right now, there are plenty of affordable, stand-alone devices that can help you trim your energy use and cut costs, starting with these:

• Smart thermostats usually cost in the $100 – $300 range, and rebates are often available. With an estimated savings of around 10% of your energy bill, this smart device could pay for itself in just a year or two depending on where you live and your indoor comfort preferences. (Actual savings depend on heating and cooling habits prior to installation and how you use it after the fact.)
  • Check with your utility for rebates on smart thermostats.
• Smart plugs allow you to plug in an appliance and track its energy use. You may decide cooling a case of pop in that old garage refrigerator isn’t worth it after all. These intelligent plugs are relatively inexpensive compared to other smart gadgets (they cost around $15 – $45) and they also allow you to control an appliance or gadget remotely.
• For a little more money, higher-end energy monitoring devices give real-time feedback on energy consumption and track your energy stats (kind of like a fitness tracker for your home). They typically cost $100 – $300 and save on average anywhere from 10-20% on energy bills depending on the adjustments you make based on their data.
• Smart lighting allows you to take advantage of higher tech motion sensors and dimmers, which means using less energy to light (or should we say not light) your home.
• Smart bulbs help save money because they are internet-capable LED bulbs that allow lighting to be controlled remotely. If your teen or spouse is always leaving the lights on in an empty house, you can turn them off from your phone.

While smart homes (and semi-smart ones with fewer devices) don’t have a higher IQ, they can help you to use energy more wisely. Just keep in mind that some smart devices rely on electricity and Wi-Fi to function properly, so they may lose partial or full functionality during a power outage. If you live in an area prone to outages, it might be worth investing in a backup generator or battery storage system for added peace of mind.

Whether you’re ready to build a fully connected home or just want to start small, smart technology offers practical ways to reduce energy use, save money, and bring a little extra convenience into your daily life.