Smart home devices have become increasingly popular as a means to improve home efficiency and provide cost savings. In this post, we’ll look at a selection of smart home devices designed with the specific purpose of cutting costs. These devices can lower the cost of running a home by cutting down on heating and cooling expenses, reducing the overall energy consumption, and conserving water usage. Over time, these gadgets may even pay for themselves. These smart home devices can also give you a more efficient and comfortable home. So let’s look at various smart home tech that can reduce your costs to run and maintain your home!
Smart Blinds and Curtains
Smart blinds and shades controllers like the RYSE SmartShade with BatteryPack are designed to convert your existing blinds into smart devices. This means you can adjust your shades without the need for manual pulling or cords, or have them adjust automatically on a schedule. Having automated blinds and shades has shown to reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 15%. So upgrading your existing blinds and shades to be automatic can save you some real money. Installation of models like this Ryse Smart Shade converter are straightforward and can be completed with the help of do-it-yourself instructions. It is designed to take less than 10 minutes to set up, so you can start saving money pretty much immediately.
Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats like the Nest 3rd Generation Smart Learning Thermostat are designed to manage your home’s heating and cooling systems. They operate without the need for manual adjustments by learning your daily habits. Over time, the devices identify your schedule and preferences, allowing them to automatically change the temperature in your home for optimal comfort. Since heating and cooling costs are one of the highest costs in maintaining a home, having smart control over these costs is another big win for saving money.
Smart Switches
Smart switches like the TP-Link Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Dimmer Switch are designed to offer you control over their home lighting. They can usually integrate with all major smart home platforms, including Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. This lets you control your home lighting and fans through these smart home controllers. It also lets you control the devices remotely ( say, to turn off the lights if you forgot when you left home ) or schedule lights to turn on and off automatically. Over time, the savings from having lights off when no one is around to use them adds up to save you money.
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs like the Tapo TP15 are designed to give you control over “dumb” electronic devices. Most smart plugs can integrate with the various smart home platforms such as Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings. These are perfect for taking older electronics and being able to control if they are on or off remotely, on a timer, or by voice command. Stop worrying if you left the straightener on and just schedule it to go off when you leave the house. Or take that older printer that is always on standby and switch it off until you need it.
Smart Sprinkler Controllers
Smart sprinkler controllers like the Rachio – 16-zone 3rd Generation Smart Sprinkler Controller are designed to manage the watering of your lawn or garden. They can help you create an effective watering schedule tailored to your yard’s needs. Have sandy or clay heavy soil? Have xeriscape or grass? The smart sprinkler apps can help you figure out what watering schedule is best for your plants while keeping you from over watering ( and wasting water ). Most apps also allow the controller to adjust the watering schedule automatically in response to the local weather conditions, so if it’s rainy the controller will skip that day’s watering session. Overall, smart sprinkler controllers make saving water ( and money ) easy.
Smart Power Strips
Smart power strips like this FEIT Electric Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip let you convert multiple “dumb” electric devices to smart ones. These are great if you have a bunch of devices in one location that you want to be able to control the power for. Some ideas of places a smart power strip would be great are media centers, offices, kitchens, and anywhere you have a bunch of dumb electric devices plugged in. With connections to major smart home controllers, you can easily control multiple devices at once to turn them off remotely, on a schedule, or with a voice command. So you can ask to “turn the tv on” and have your whole media center turn on, or “turn the tv off” at night to power everything down and save money.
Smart Water Leak Detectors
Smart water leak detectors like the Aqara T1 Water Leak Sensor are designed to detect water leaks or flooding and send out an alert. We’ve included them on the list of devices to save money because they are relatively inexpensive, but can save you thousands of dollars in preventing a catastrophic leak. Major leaks in a home are no joke, with the cost to dry, remediate any mold, and restore it all adds up quickly. And while your insurance may cover the cost, the time it takes to restore your home is also a factor. It can take anywhere from a couple of months or more for your home to be restored, and your home may not even be livable during that time! So investing in a few of these water leak detectors to save you that time and money is well worth it to us.
There are many smart home devices available that can help you save money. These devices, from smart thermostats to smart switches, have been designed to optimize home energy usage and reduce waste. Over time, the initial investment in these products can result in substantial savings on utility bills. Smart plugs and energy monitors provide further control and insight into power consumption, letting you make informed decisions about your energy use. While the number of smart home devices available continues to grow, the devices mentioned here are a solid starting point if you’re looking to reduce your expenses and make your home more energy-efficient.
