Top Home Automation Solutions For The Eco-Conscious Household
“Green” is more than a color or an environmental sentiment—it’s a lifestyle. If your family is committed to saving the planet, you’ll need to take steps to do so every day, be that through reusable straws or taking your bikes to work and school. One easy way to show you care for the planet: home automation! Though it may at first seem counterintuitive—home automation uses energy, after all—the applications of this tech can actually end up cutting your energy usage in the long run.
Interested in a simple, seamless way to save the planet that also saves you time and stress? Revience is here to provide. Below, we’ll detail just a few products which we provide that can aid in your environmentally-friendly lifestyle right alongside making your life easier altogether.
SMART LIGHTING CONTROL
Smart lighting control enables you, much as its name implies, to be smart about your electrical usage. By centralizing the command of your lighting on your phone, you can quickly flick off your lights remotely, stopping frivolous energy usage with a simple tap. If nobody’s home, there needn’t be indoor lighting. It’s just common sense.
Aside from the obvious waste of energy that leaving lights on causes—and that smart lighting control fixes—it can also help with light pollution. According to the International Dark Sky Organization in Tucson, Arizona, lights left on at night when they needn’t have serious consequences on wildlife. From disrupting bird migrations to messing up the rhythm of light and dark that plants need to grow properly, light pollution is a huge issue.
Smart light control can play a huge role in fixing this widespread issue—not just in individual homes but in businesses and larger entities, too.
SMART THERMOSTATS
Considering the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy states that “heating and cooling account for about half of a typical home’s energy usage,” this is an area of your environmental impact that’s well worth looking into if you’re looking to go a little greener. In particular, smart thermostats and their associated applications can further your goal of immensely cutting down your carbon footprint.
Much like their lighting counterparts, smart thermostats connect to a smartphone and thus enable seamless control of your home’s temperature. Not only does this allow you to come home to a toasty or pleasantly cool home, but it also allows for worry-free eco-conscious energy usage. If nobody is home, for example, it’d be okay to lower the ambient temperature for a while until someone arrives, but it’s tricky to remember to do that when you head out. With a smart thermostat hooked up to your phone, that’s a problem of the past. Simply open the app, set your temp, and go on with your day feeling good that you’re doing your part to save the planet.
GET REMINDERS WHEN TO REPLACE YOUR FILTER
It’s a chore that we all forget now and again: replacing our HVAC filter. This device manually captures dust and other large particles, like pet dander and allergens, so that the air that flows into your home is fresh and clean. This boosts air quality in your home. However, forgetting about this filter means that it can get clogged, and that your HVAC system will have to work harder and expend more energy to compensate. You’ll then experience a spike in your energy bills—not very eco-friendly!
The United States Department of Energy states that, “replacing a dirty, clogged filter with a clean one can lower your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.” That’s a significant impact, considering that the same department says that air conditioners alone cost American homeowners $29 billion annually. Your smart thermostat installation can be programmed to send you a reminder when your filter needs to be changed, helping you keep your home green and comfortable.
AUTOMATED BLINDS
According to an article published by This Is Money, a British financial news site, “drawing the blinds at dusk can reduce heat loss by 13-14% and curtains from 15-17%.” While these statistics solely were found using a sample home, that’s handy knowledge to know, as pretty much every house has curtains or blinds—and Minnesota is nasty when it comes to the cold!
An automated blinds system can make this simple energy-saving hack all the easier to get done. A single button can lower the blinds and thus reduce your furnace’s energy outputs, which in turn helps keep the world a little greener. Plus, given that this system has a remote capability, you can even take advantage of it while you’re away from home.
REVIENCE: HOME AUTOMATION FOR A GREENER HOME AND FUTURE
Ready to embrace the convenience, ease, and green lifestyle that comes with home automation? We’re here to help. Give us a call today at 763-497-4989.