Summer is in full swing and that means long days of keeping fans running and long nights of keeping air conditioning on. Beat the heat and save some energy this summer with the latest smart devices to help save you time while staying cool.
Seven smart devices for your home this summer
Smart thermostat
It may seem obvious but it's also one of the most important. Smart thermostats like the Nest, Ecobee, or Honeywell can all be added seamlessly to your home and fit in to many wireless smart home systems. Smart thermostats can learn your routines, or you can set them up manually to keep your home as efficient as possible. This means that it can adjust your home's temperature when you leave for work and get it back to normal by the time you arrive home. You can even add on additional sensors to make sure each room's temperature is perfectly regulated.
Smart ceiling fans
Turning on a ceiling fan in a bedroom might help cool things down for you to get to sleep but what happens after? Now the ceiling fan runs all night when you really only needed it for maybe a couple hours. This is exactly why even ceiling fans have been given the smart treatment. Companies like Hunter and Hampton Bay have been adding smart home and wi-fi integration in their new ceiling fans so you can easily set up timers and routines. This means you can have it set to shut off after you've fallen asleep, or to set up scheduled cooling periods throughout the day. This alongside with the ability to reverse your ceiling fan direction as mentioned in our Summer Energy Checklist means you can get your rooms cooled down fast. Don't want to replace a whole ceiling fan? You don't have to! Try swapping your standard light switch for a smart light switch and then set up your routines with that instead.
Smart blinds and curtains
In our 5 Ways to Keep Cool If Your Condo Doesn't Have Air Conditioning article we talked about closing the blinds or curtains during the day to avoid heating up your home when the sun is hottest in the afternoon but what if you aren't home? This is when the magic that is smart blinds and curtains comes in! Companies like IKEA have started making motorized blinds and curtains that can raise and lower depending on the time of the day. Integrate it with your smart home, and when the sun starts to rise so do your blinds! Don't feel like waking up with the sun but still want a nice breeze at night? Have it so they lower before you get woken up. And if you're stepping out of the house, you can have them all automatically lower just as the sun reaches it's hottest point and keep all that excess heat out of your home.
Smart plugs
The MVP of smart devices. Sometimes going digital and smart can be a costly venture even if it does save time and energy. But one of the easiest and cost-effective ways to transition your home into a smart home is with smart plugs. There are almost too many companies to count currently making smart plugs, so you just have to find the one that works best for your set up. Are you looking to add ne and make your portable electric fan voice operated and only run for a certain amount of time? You can do that! Or maybe you need something that's waterproof so you can set up your outdoor lights? Done! A hi-tech home doesn't have to cost a fortune, just be smart with your smart plugs and you can run a whole bunch of devices and appliances you already own.
Smart lawnmowers
You read that right. Smart. Lawnmowers. Robotic mowers are starting to show up now from companies like Husqvarna, Worx and Robomow and although this might be still new territory and definitely doesn't come cheap, the idea of a Roomba that can mow your lawn every week sounds like a great idea. These use wi-fi and GPS to navigate your lawn and give a consistent trim every time. Maybe you enjoy the smell of freshly cut grass too much and will never stop mowing the lawn yourself but being able to have more time to do everything else you want to do in the summer also sounds like a pretty good option.
Smart sprinklers
Smart sprinklers take a lot of the guesswork of when to water your lawn. These are integrated systems from companies like Rachio or Orbit that can be attached to your sprinkler system and it will help monitor just how much water your lawn is getting. You can set up rules and guidelines to make sure the ground doesn't get watered at a certain temperature, or when the wind is too strong, or if it rains a certain amount. These devices can also detect leaks in your system to make sure your sprinklers are being as effective as possible.
Smart outdoor lights
With all the extra time outside this summer, adding some outdoor smart lights to your yard can help give those warm summer nights some extra magic. Just like indoor lights from Hue, these systems can also work outside and offer timers, switches, dimmers and motion sensors so you can transform your yard into a unique and illuminated experience.
Spend more time doing the things you love this summer. Do you have any smart devices you recommend? Let us know on our social channels on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. And if you are looking electricity plans, natural gas plans or both, talk to us today at 310-4300 or visit us online here.
