In recent years, smart technology and appliances have quickly gone from cool concept to commonplace in homes across our region. While it can be difficult keeping up with technology development, smart home technologies and appliances are something that any homeowner who cares about saving money, should look into.
A common barrier to the entry of smart home tech is the price. Smart appliances do tend to cost a fair amount more than their traditional non-smart counterparts. Where this is made up for is in the savings that result; some smart appliances can pay for themselves very quickly through the monetary savings they create in their efficiency. For instance, a thermostat that knows whether someone is present in a home or room can turn the A/C and HVAC on and off accordingly; meaning that it won’t run unnecessarily when no one is home.
In addition to efficiency increases, smart home tech is also just cool! The ability to turn on lights in your home from outside or across the globe, or have them automatically turn on and off with the sunrise and sunset of each day, are just some of the features unique to smart home tech.
So what kind of tech is out there that can help your home become more efficient? Here are some of the major ones;
Thermostat
You’ve likely heard of Smart thermostats due to their commonplace in homes and hardware stores these days. While there are many different options on the market, the features range from a wide variety. Some are able to monitor and track your temperature adjustment habits, and create an automatic program that both keeps your home at a comfy temperature, and reduces energy usage.
Others are kitted with room sensors that can detect when someone is home or not; allowing for the use of different presets that can set the thermostat to different temperatures depending on whether the home is occupied. This means that your thermostat can run your HVAC system less often when no one is home, and normally when the home is occupied. Most smart thermostats will also allow homeowners to adjust their HVAC temperatures and monitor temperature inside from anywhere on a smartphone.
Power Accessories
Some companies produce smart plugs that simply go in between your wall outlet and any standard appliance or plug-in product. These smart plugs allow users to control and schedule when to power the devices that are plugged in. They also allow users to monitor electricity usage through the outlet. These are great ways to make normal appliances “smarter.”
Lighting
Also being very common today, smart lighting is another piece of new smart tech that is saving homeowners’ money. With an ability to create and follow an automated schedule, turn lights on and off remotely, and being LED in nature, smart lighting has become a good way to save on energy costs. Smart lighting comes in a variety of forms; from smart switches that can make “smarten up” any light in your home, to smart light bulbs that can turn any lamp in your home into a smart light. Smart lighting technology has also come down significantly in cost in recent years; allowing it to be a feasible option for many homeowners.
There are several other types of new smart technologies out there; from kitchen appliances, to water leak detectors, garage door openers and more, that can help homeowners improve the efficiency of homes by lowering energy bills, and making it possible to control appliances from anywhere. Smart technology has changed the way we interact with our homes.
If you are looking for new windows or doors, the experts at Kempenfelt Windows and Doors know what makes a good product that will last. As a member of the Garaga Experts Network, and an experienced retailer and installer of windows and doors for 25 years, we know how to help homeowners. Talk to us today, or visit one of our showrooms to see what we have to offer!
