Smart home technology offers a range of opportunities to save money and make life more convenient. We take a look at 17 smart home hacks that can help tech-savvy families cut costs while enjoying a more efficient household:
Smart Thermostats for Energy Efficiency
Smart thermostats, like the Nest Learning Thermostat, can learn your heating schedule and adjust temperatures accordingly. This ensures your home is always comfortable and can lower heating and cooling bills by up to 15% by reducing energy waste.
Smart Lighting
Lighting systems like Philips Hue control lights remotely, set schedules, and use sensors to ensure lights are only on when needed. These systems also allow you to remotely turn lights on and off and dim or brighten lights, all of which can help reduce your energy bills and improve your home security.
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs can control appliances and electronics remotely, whether at home or when you’re away. By scheduling devices to turn off when not in use, you can cut down on energy consumption by up to 10%.
Smart Water Leak Detector
Water leak detectors alert homeowners to leaks early on, preventing costly water damage and high water bills. To provide peace of mind, these detectors should be placed near potential leak sources like water heaters and under sinks.
Smart Power Strips
Power strips allow you to plug multiple devices into a single outlet so you can organize cords and to overloading outlets. Power strips can help to protect your devices from power surges and spikes and are handy for expensive electronics, such as laptops and TVs.
Smart Sprinkler System
Smart sprinkler systems will adjust watering schedules based on weather conditions, ensuring your lawn gets the right amount of water. Not only will smart sprinklers reduce waste but will reduce your water bill.
USB Hubs
USB hubs enable your family to connect multiple USB devices to a single computer. This is a great way to add more USB ports to your computer or connect devices requiring multiple USB ports, such as external hard drives and printers.
Install a Smart Security System
Modern home security systems can help protect your home from burglars and other intruders. These systems include smart locks, video doorbells, and motion sensors to cover all bases of your home. Knowing that you have a security system in place can give you peace of mind, especially when you’re on vacation.
Smart Appliances
Smart appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines, can optimize their operation to save energy and water. For example, a smart fridge can adjust its cooling cycle based on usage patterns, and a smart washing machine can choose the most efficient wash cycle.
Smart Doorbells
Smart doorbells, like the Ring Video Doorbell, provide remote monitoring and can alert you to visitors or potential intruders. You can answer your doorbell wherever you are and report any concerns to local authorities straightaway.
Smart Home Hubs
Home hubs like Amazon Echo or Google Home centralize the control of all your smart devices, such as lights and electrical sockets, making it easier to manage their use. After using each device for a period of time, you can develop a routine that will ensure your home runs efficiently.
Smart Vacuums
A smart vacuum, such as the iRobot Roomba, will keep your home clean with minimal effort. You can turn them on when you feel like you need to clean or schedule a regular cleaning routine so your floors are always tidy.
Thermostatic Radiator Valves
Smart thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) allow you to control the temperature of individual radiators in your home. This can be particularly useful for homes with unused rooms, so rather than pay to heat your whole house, you only heat those that are occupied.
Smart Faucets
Smart faucets can reduce water waste by precisely controlling water flow and temperature. Some models also include touchless operation, which can prevent the spread of germs and reduce the need for frequent cleaning.
Air Quality Monitors
Not all cash savings are related to energy bills as there are things you can do to reduce the costs of other bills such as health insurance and home insurance. Smart air quality monitors alert homeowners to changes in air quality, prompting you to take action to improve ventilation. Maintaining good air quality can improve health and potentially reduce healthcare costs.
Energy-Efficient Bulbs and Switches
Modern homes should be designed to be as energy-efficient as possible, which is why even the smallest of changes can make a big difference. Energy-efficient bulbs and switches can save homeowners up to $225 each year on energy bills.
Smart Locks
Smart locks can be opened using a smartphone app, code, or fingerprint. This makes it easy to let guests in without giving them a key. Smart locks can be integrated with other smart home devices, such as security systems and thermostats. This allows you to create automated rules, such as automatically locking your door when you leave your home or when your security system is armed.
The 10 Most Reliable Car Brands According to Mechanics
When choosing a car, one of the most crucial factors is reliability. But what exactly does it mean when we say a car is reliable? Reliability refers to the vehicle’s ability to perform consistently well over time with minimal issues. A reliable car requires fewer repairs, is cost-effective to maintain, and offers peace of mind to the owner. In this article, we delve into the ten most reliable car brands according to mechanics, explaining why these brands are trusted and highlighting endorsements from institutions, car experts, and reputable websites. The 10 Most Reliable Car Brands According to Mechanics
