Our society’s overreliance on technology is a widely accepted fact. Smartphones, smartwatches, smart homes – supposedly we cannot deal with the problems on our own. Well, this trend is certainly nothing new. To make their lives easier, around 1.76 million years ago, the first humans created hand axes. Of course, you can argue that technology itself isn’t the problem but rather the effects it has on people. And on the environment. And on people’s accounts. Luckily, smart homes won’t make you a recluse. Quite the contrary – they will save you some money, which you can then use to organize parties in forests, to promote clean energy. Or something. The question is – is it worth the hassle? The answer to this question will vary, depending on the product. In a moment you’ll learn which smart appliances are worth buying, and which ones it is better to avoid.
Energy Inefficient Buildings
The biggest obstacle in reducing energy bills is the fact that most homes are energy inefficient. A smart thermostat won’t achieve much if the windows are not insulated. It is much easier to ensure that a building is energy efficient during its construction than to try to make it this way later. Of course, there are building codes, but their standards vary. Texas, where 20% of energy is generated by wind, has laws making it impossible for you to resell a house with an acceptable energy performance. If you happen to live in Texas, you can check power reviews for Texas companies.
Smart thermostat
Among all smart appliances, smart thermostats will save you the most money. They will automatically adjust the AC to weather conditions and turn it off when you are not home. The amount of money saved this way is dependant on your habits, which your smart thermostat will learn and then appropriately react. A research done by Simply Self Storage found out that a smart thermostat will pay for itself in 13 months.
Smart sprinklers
Purchasing smart sprinklers is an easy way to cut down your water bills. They will automatically avoid activating when the weather makes it redundant, preventing waste of water. Apart from that, most models allow you to adjust the amount of water for different areas, taking into consideration soil moisture. Some of them can even be controlled by voice commands. Smart sprinklers will pay for themselves in about 16 months.
Smart refrigerator
Having a smart refrigerator sounds like a tempting idea, but actually, they are not worth their price. They are useful; they will inform you if you are running out of milk or eggs, or if you haven’t closed the door. Nevertheless, if your goal is to save money, they are not worth it. The average smart refrigerator will pay for itself in 30 years.
Smart power strip
A smart power strip will automatically cut off power to appliances that are not being used. Of course, if your memory is faultless, you can manage without buying one, but the rest of us will be better off with the assistance of technology. Although it may seem that it wouldn’t save that much power, this little gadget will pay for itself in about 2 months. Its low price and usability make it an excellent idea for a gift!
Smart lightning
It may seem that occasionally forgetting to turn off the lights in the bathroom won’t lead to a dramatic spike in your electricity bill. Most probably you are correct, but with time the cost will add up and when you’ll be buying a gift for your father’s birthday 5 years from now, you’ll have to settle on a slightly less expensive whisky. You can program smart light bulbs to switch off at certain times automatically, or to change colors depending on the time of the day. Apart from that, they are also more energy-efficient, so even if you always remember to turn off the lights, your electricity bill will be reduced. A smart bulb will pay for itself in 21 months.
Smart blinds
Although smart blinds are usually installed for security purposes, or to scare guests, this purchase can also save you some money. They can be pre-programmed to open and close in a specific manner during different seasons. Keeping the heat out in summer to reduce the need for cooling and letting the sun in during the winter to decrease the need for heating will save considerably lower your bills.
Conclusion
When it comes to energy saving appliances, there are better and worse choices. Of course,If you can afford to buy every piece of smart technology, that’s great, but for those whose goal is to reduce their bills, it is better to be more selective. Doing so will save you some money but also reduce your carbon footprint.