Having an app or voice-activated device that helps you close the blinds, lower the lights, or turn on the air conditioning can make you feel like you truly live in the future, not just the Raleigh-Chapel Hill area. These smart home devices can do more than handy tasks, some can actually save you money on your electric bill.
While having too many devices plugged in can result in a high electrical bill, the right devices will help lower it. While these items do require a small to moderate upfront investment, you’ll be lowering your monthly electricity bill in the long run. Not only will you be saving money, but you’ll be saving electricity and going green to help the Raleigh area.
A Smart Thermostat
Calling an electrician from Mr. Electric of the Raliegh-Chapel Hill area to help you install a smart thermostat in your home can reduce your cooling and heating costs from 10 to 25 percent. Over time, the thermostat learns your family’s habits and adjusts the temperature accordingly. It can even help use less energy to heat or cool your home. One of the better home smart thermostats on the market is Nest’s Learning Thermostat. This model, which costs $216 on Amazon, tells homeowners when a temperature they pick will help save them money by displaying a small green leaf. Nest even keeps an eye on the weather in the Raliegh-Chapel Hill area to adjust your home’s temperature accordingly.
Dimmer And Motion Sensor
Sometimes you just need a little bit of light in a room. A dimmer can help you use your light bulbs without shining them at their brightest, which uses more energy and increases your electricity bill. Dimmers can be installed on its own, but when paired with a smart device, such as Lutron’s Maestro C.L. Dimmer and Motion Sensor, the lights can be automatically turned on or off when someone enters or exits the room. Lutron’s device, which costs $37.12 on Amazon, enables customers to preset favorite dimmed settings at certain times, so if someone walks into a bathroom at 3 am, they lights will automatically turn on dimmed and shut off when that person leaves.
Smart Shades
Temperatures can change quickly in the Raleigh-Chapel Hill area. If you left your shades up while you were at work on an unseasonably warm spring day, your house will start to heat up and will require more electricity to cool it down to a comfortable level once you’re home. On those cooler winter days, a lot of heat can be lost through windows. Hunter Douglas’ Powerview shades allow you to close your home’s blinds via an app. So you can even shut them from the office, saving you money. The price will vary by your windows sizes.
Smart Power Strip
You may think by turning off your TV when you leave the room that you’re saving energy. However, the TV is still pulling energy even when it’s off. A lot of appliances or devices in your home are using energy even when they’re not on. Purchasing a few smart power strips is an easy way to save money and energy in your home. Kasa’s Smart WiFi Power Strip, which costs $69.99 on Amazon, analyzes which devices are pulling the most energy. It sends this data to an app on your phone and you can shut the devices off when they’re not in use.
How Do I Install Smart Devices In My Raleigh Home?
Purchasing smart devices is a great way to save money on your Raleigh home’s electricity bill. Some devices, like a power strip, are easy to install on your own, but smart shades, motion detectors, or a smart thermostat can be tricker. Give the trusted electricians at Mr. Electric a call and we can help install these items correctly to help you save the most on your energy bill.
