Receiving a massive electric bill is not something one looks forward to. Most of us do try to save electricity as best as we can, but sometimes we do forget to switch off a light or turn off the tv when we fall asleep.
Sometimes we forget to adjust the thermostat when we leave home for work. Since there won’t be anyone home that alone is a significant aspect which is causing your bill to skyrocket. There are many factors which add up to an ultimately unnecessary increase in your electric bill.
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It can be overwhelming to try and stay on top of the consumption of electricity in your household. Keeping your home energy efficient is no easy task. Fortunately, there are new technologies which through home automation can help us surpass our human limitations.
Solar System
Investing in a solar power system to generate electricity for your home is one of the best things you can do. It is a long-term investment that will help lower or eliminate your electric bill. Make sure to hire a certified solar panel installer when setting up the solar panels for your home.
Here in the UK, the government offers Feed-in tariffs, which will allow you to sell the excess energy you generate. You would have the option to sell the electricity your solar system produces to your utility company, or you can choose to sell to other registered suppliers.
Three Types of Home Automation Technologies
Many different systems work together to make up your home automation system. For your home automation system to work correctly; all of the equipment in your home need to be connected to a control device.
The control device can be your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone. There are three different ways to connect all your equipment.
Powerline
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The first and oldest method is to use power lines which will then transfer any and all data to the control device. This method requires a lot of additional converter circuits to be built into your home.
Wired
The second is the wired method which will use ethernet cables which will be connected to your equipment or devices via actuators. The wired connection uses a computer as the central hub which would then be continually communicating with the control device.
Wireless
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The third and latest method is an evolution of the wired system. Whereas the wired network uses an ethernet cable to connect devices and equipment, wireless uses Bluetooth, Infrared, GSM, Wi-Fi technologies to connect devices.
Home Automation Systems
Lighting
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Integrating all the lighting fixtures inside and outside your home into a central controller will not only save you money but make things infinitely more convenient. Being able to view and control which lights are on even if you are not home will give you a sense of complete control.
Other than shutting off the lights from afar there are other features in automating your lights at home. You can add dimmer switches to each light fixture; this will allow you to change the brightness level which in turn will consume less wattage saving you some electricity.
Adding motion sensors to your lights will also help with keeping your electric consumption to a minimum. When perfect for when the kids forget to turn out the lights in a room, the motion sensor would detect there is no movement after a set interval and turn off the lights.
Once you have integrated your lights into your home automation system, you can use the timer and set your lights up to be on only at certain hours.
Water
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Water is one of the most precious resources on our planet. We take great strides in trying to save the environment to make sure we have clean drinking water. Integrating the various water systems into our home automation system makes sense.
Being able to set a timer for the water pump to work only for a few hours in the day instead of allowing it to work nonstop will save you money on your electric bill. The same thing goes for your pool pumps; the pool pump does not need to be only twenty-four seven.
You can set a timer for when your pool pump needs to work saving you a lot of money in the long run. Adding your water heater to the home automation system will also allow you to control its use even when you’re not home. Turn it off remotely when you’re on vacation and control its use.
You can even install a water butt in your home and leave it to be collecting rainwater. Leave the barrel to fill itself. Now that is automation!
Keeping the sprinkler system for your lawn or backyard on a timer or central control system is another excellent way to save on your water bill. If you find that you are doing far more work on the weekends to maintain your lawn or backyard, look into the benefits of artificial grass.
Climate Control
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Integrating your HVAC(Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system to your home automation system is just a stroke of genius. You can monitor your thermostat and control your air conditioning and heating even if you are not home.
Of course, if you have a programmable thermostat, you can configure it to work n store preset settings to work on a timer as well.
Being able to control the heating and cooling of your home from the palm of your hand, anywhere you may be. It provides a great advantage when trying to cut costs.
Power Strips
When installing a home automation system adding power strips to all the power outlets in your home is a mandatory first step. Doing so will help you control the total consumption of electricity in your home.
Did you know that the “phantom load” is responsible for about 7% of your electric bill? Even if your appliances are turned off but are plugged in, they are still consuming electricity. You can control the flow of electricity by turning off the power strips.
Control Hub
When you install a home automation system, you get a control hub in the form of a universal remote or even an app to use on your smartphone. This gives you complete control of all the electronic devices in your home.
It will also allow you to monitor the usage of each device or appliance and shut them off if needed. You can also control a whole range of other systems such as your security system, entertainment system, ventilation systems and many more.
Conclusion:
Choosing to automate your home can be a tough decision. Do some research and call a few companies and see which one can offer you the best deal. Put Insteon as one of the companies to call when canvassing for the best deal.
They offer a dual-band system to convert your home into a smart home; it is also one of the most affordable options available today. Automate your home today and start seeing the monthly savings on your electric bill. Doing so will give you peace of mind like never before.
For more amazing ideas you can have, visit Guy About Home today or you can check the related blogs:
- Five Ways To Save Water In Your Garden
- benefits of artificial grass
- How To Install A Water Butt To Collect Rainwater
- Recyclable Items Found Around The House
- save the environment
- Indoor Air Quality: Why Is It Important and How Can I Improve It?
- Beautiful Beach Bathroom Decor – Beach Themed Bathroom Decorating
- 7 Gorgeous Master Bathroom Double Sink Vanity Ideas to Spice Up The Area
- 10 Women’s Bedroom Ideas for Small Room
- 7 Adorable Sunflower Baby Shower Ideas
Guy Keenan
Hi there! I’m Guy, the guy behind Guy About Home (that’s a lot of guy’s). I’m just your average guy (ok, I’ll stop) living in the USA who is really interested in making and doing.
