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Using Smart Tech to Remain Energy Efficient This Winter • Indiana Lee How to be Smart and save money

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As technology evolves year after year, we continually see the rise of new innovations that make our lives easier and more convenient while also helping us to save money and make a positive impact on the environment. It’s fair to say that no innovation has made quite an impact on all of these areas like smart tech, especially with the arrival of the winter season. 

The ability to connect all of our smart devices allows us to manage our homes from anywhere, which is especially great during the colder months when you may be cranking up the heater or staying out of the house altogether during winter vacations. Let’s talk about how you can save money on your utility bills and help the environment with smart tech over these next few chilly months.

Smart Heating

While some areas of the country get more severe weather than others during the winter, there is no mistaking the chill in the air come January. It is only natural to turn on the heater when it gets colder, but some people tend to go a bit overboard, and those that do will likely see a drastically higher utility bill at the end of the month than they are used to seeing. While the waste of money is a major downer, few people realize the negative environmental impact of wasted energy.

The production of electricity requires the burning of fossil fuels which releases chemicals, including carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere, which is a leading cause of global warming. Over the years, people have begun to think more about their carbon footprint, and if you are one of them, then now is a great time to make a change, and a good starting point is being strategic when setting your thermostat.

According to the Department of Energy, the ideal temperature for your thermostat during the winter is 68-degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature will keep you warm and will allow your heating system to operate at a safe and moderate pace. When the family is out at school or work, it is a good idea to set the thermostat five to eight degrees lower so the heater doesn’t run as frequently and it doesn’t have to work as hard to return to 68 degrees once you return home.

While you may have the best intentions when it comes to heating your home as efficiently as possible, it is easy to forget to change the settings, so a smart thermostat may be the answer. The beauty of this device is that you can program it in advance, so it will automatically change the temperature at certain times of the day. It is great to set and forget a smart thermostat, so you get that warm house and affordable utility bill without having to remember to adjust the setting every day.

Save Water

During the winter months, staying warm is the name of the game, but doing so requires running the heater more often, along with the stove and the microwave to heat your meals and hot chocolate. Since you will have a stronger focus on those appliances, you will want to save money whenever you can by reducing the usage of other components of your home, including your showers, sprinklers, and faucets.

A water monitor is a great piece of smart tech that keeps a constant eye on the water flow throughout your home and monitors the pressure, usage, and quality of your water to keep you safe and avoid unnecessary waste. The reports that are sent to your smartphone will give you important information, including how long you are in the shower or how long the faucet is running when your kids are in the bathroom, so you can make the proper adjustments. It can also tell you if maintenance is necessary, so you don’t have to wait until something breaks and pay more.

Smart monitors have really grown by leaps and bounds over the years, especially when it comes to lawn care. In states where snow is less common, it is still necessary for many folks to water their yards, but it is easy to be absent-minded about this chore and waste unnecessary water. Smart sprinklers are a great option in this scenario because they not only manage your water usage but also connect to local weather information servers to determine when a rainstorm is approaching. If rain is on the horizon, the sprinkler will stay off, so you only get that natural hydration.

Efficiency While You Are Out of Town

While many people hunker down during the winter months, others take the chance to leave town for a vacation or to relocate to a warmer climate for some fun in the sun. If you are in the latter category, then you will want to make sure that you are not wasting unnecessary resources while you are out of the house. Luckily, smart tech allows us to control our devices from anywhere, even when we are miles away. This is especially helpful if you leave and realize that you left the lights or the TV on, and you can turn them off with a touch of a button on your smartphone.

When it comes to saving energy and lowering your utility bills, keeping unnecessary devices off is a must, and you can make that process easier with smart outlets. These are great little gadgets that allow you to turn off certain devices, like microwaves or the television, so they aren’t wasting any unnecessary power, and you can do that with your cell phone.

You can also check your electricity usage on the road through the use of energy monitors that constantly record power usage in the home so you can check in at any time to see if there is a sudden spike that requires your attention.

As you can see, there are many advantages to introducing smart tech into your home. Consider installing the devices mentioned above and you can do yourself and the environment a big favor this winter season.

  © Indiana Lee 2.16.22
indianaleewrites.contently.com

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