Fuel prices and necessity items have soared. Electricity rates are unstable, . Aand it is hard to ignore the market and economic uncertainties in the leading oil-producing nations. And now,
“smart and energy efficient” is the new buzzword— with a growing number of homeowners embracing more sustainable living.
Now, it is possible to trim costs without affecting your lifestyle, significantly, Here are some pro tips and ideas on how to create a smart and more efficient home.
Get a Paintbrush
A simple, energy saving technique for every home— painting your walls and ceilings with light and neutral colors allow more lights to be reflected, making even the darkest room look brighter. This in return helps reduce the need for several high-wattage light bulbs to illuminate a room.
In addition, paint trims with high gloss paints can further reflect sunlight. Consult with professional painters Parklands for advice and recommendations on the best color scheme that will make your home brighter.
Add Insulation
Adding insulation is probably the most effective way of preventing heat loss. Loft and wall insulation, particularly in the bedroom walls, allows you to use less energy for heating.
Stephanie Horowitz, managing director, and architect at ZeroEnergy Design said that this low-tech home improvement solution has a big impact on energy efficiency, particularly in cold climates. These systems do not break and do not require any maintenance and have been here for a really long time.
Control Lights, Smartly
Turning the light off when leaving the room can easily slip your mind if you are in a hurry. Now, technology offers smart options, so that this kind of situation won’t be a problem anymore.
Smart bulbs are internet-capable LED light bulbs which allow lighting to be controlled, scheduled and customized remotely. For instance, you can program the lights so you come home to a well-lit house without wasting any energy while you’re gone.
Although most people might not like the initial costs of these smart bulbs, they have a longer life expectancy than traditional lightings and are proven safe and save more money in the long run. Plus, they are highly versatile and offer interesting customizations that you can play around.
Install Power Strips
Energy vampires may be lurking in your home. When an electronic device is plugged, even when powered off, they still use tons of power. And although statistics may vary, standby power consumption in average home ranges from 5 – 10 percent of household energy consumption, according to Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory.
So, what do you do? Get a smart power strip! These strips manage energy vampires by reducing power usage. Smart strips shut down the power of products which go to standby mode, ultimately saving you some serious cash on energy consumption.
Buy Smart and Energy-Efficient Appliances
If you’re out shopping for a new appliance such as dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, air conditioners, and stoves, make sure that you consider their estimated annual energy usage.
In addition, make sure that you look for the ENERGY STAR symbol, certifying that these products help jeep electric and gas costs down and minimizing the lifetime cost of the appliances.
Furthermore, the market now offers smart appliances that simplify your everyday life, while saving more on energy. From smart dishwashers to smart microwaves to smart dryers and washers, these appliances gives you more control, monitoring energy use and automatic features such as auto shut-off that save on utility bills.
Use A Smart Thermostat
When the summer season starts rolling in, it is quite tempting to put your air conditioning unit on the living room to full blast in order to stay cool. However, this method can seriously put your energy bill numbers soaring.
Fortunately, technology has an answer— smart thermostats. This Wi-fi connected devices automatically adjusts the cooling and heating temperature settings in your home. Usual features include programming temps that you prefer, providing energy usage data which you can easily manage, developing an ideal automated schedule, and allowing you to control your home’s temperature via smartphones.
In the end, smart thermostats help in saving the most energy by cutting on or off closer to your desired temperature and minimizing temperature swings.
