Did you know that some smart devices for your home could help you save money on your energy bill?
Using smart devices that can affect your energy bill won’t make you rich, but they can help lower your bills each month, which adds up over time. Here are some devices to consider:
1. Smart thermostat
A smart thermostat studies your heating and cooling trends over time and can help reduce your energy bill by optimizing energy-saving tactics. You can also adjust the temperature of your home remotely and know how much energy you are using to heat or cool your home in real time. So while a programmable thermostat can help you save money, a smart version earns its name by all the extra things it can do above and beyond programming.
In either case, adjusting your thermostat up (air conditioning) or down (furnace) just one degree can make a difference in your utility bill. Households can save up to 3 percent on the heating and cooling portion of their bill by making that simple adjustment.
2. Smart light bulbs/lighting
Look around and see what kind of light bulbs you have in your house. By replacing your home’s five most frequently used light fixtures or bulbs with Energy Star versions, you can save $75 a year, according to energy.gov. Upgrading your light bulbs can help you replace them less often as well. For example, a 60-watt incandescent bulb lasts an average of 1,000 hours, while a 12-watt LED bulb has an average life span of 25,000 hours. Then there are actual smart light bulbs, which allow you to “schedule” lights and control them remotely. This could save you a little money if you or someone in your house is always leaving the lights on.
3. Smart window coverings
Smart window coverings are pricey but they can help you save money on your energy bills over time. For example, they allow you to lower blinds on a hot and sunny day even if you’re not home, which may prevent your air conditioner from kicking on. About 76 percent of sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters your home to become heat, according to energy.gov. Conversely, about 30 percent of a home’s heating energy is lost through windows, and the efficient use of window coverings can reduce energy loss when it is cold outside.
4. The smart plug
This device plugs into a regular outlet and allows you to control appliances remotely via a phone app. Most smart plugs track energy use so you can see how efficient (or inefficient) an appliance is. Some of them have a convenient away feature that allows you to program lights to make it look like someone is home.
For more information about energy efficiency and electrical safety, contact Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power at 765-362-1900 or visit celp.com and SafeElectricity.org.
Crawfordsville Electric Light & Power contributes a monthly column to the Journal Review.
