Wouldn't it be great if you could control your entire home from an app on your phone? Well, now we can thanks to smart home devices. These tools allow us to automate nearly every part of our lives, from when lights should be on to how much resistance we use on a stationary bike. The best part? They're extremely energy-efficient. You won't have to worry about lights being left on, the air conditioning running while you're not home, or someone leaving the front door open in the middle of winter or summer. For you, that means savings when it's time to pay the electricity bill. If you're looking to boost the energy efficiency of your home through technology, these are some of the best smart home devices to learn more about.
Security Devices
What good is a smart home if it doesn't keep you (and your smart belongings) safe? A little extra security can make any house feel more cozy – especially if it's practically effortless on your part. Here's what you should invest in.
- Lock. Have you ever forgotten to lock your doors when you left the house? Well, that's not an issue anymore when you install smart locks. These smart locks auto lock and unlock, and oftentimes come with codes you can program for multiple people to allow them to unlock your door. Set it up on an app, and you can let a friend in no matter where in the world you are. The current favorite of multiple tech publications is the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock, which has all of these features and more.
- Camera. Cameras are extra important these days to monitor what's happening in your yard and in your home. The current smart ones on the market allow you to do everything from wirelessly watching out for a package thief on your Ring doorbell to throwing treats out of your Furbo camera for your pet while they're home alone. Most smart camera models allow you to download and save the video, and take commands through virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri.
- Doorbell. You'll never have to worry about a stranger at your door again when you have a smart doorbell. The most common models on the market are Ring and Nest, but pretty much any option will alert you when there's movement, allow you to speak and listen like an intercom, and record whoever's by your door. They've become an essential part of smart home security.
Bonus, you may be able to save some money on your homeowner or renter's insurance as well.
Thermostats
If your family is always arguing about who touched the thermostat this time, it may be time to get a smart thermostat. Popular devices like the Nest Learning Thermostat or ecobee Smart Thermostat can do a whole lot more than connect to your phone. They actually learn your patterns for what temperatures you like in what rooms and when – and then they automatically make the changes for you. Plus, they know how to turn off the air conditioning when you're not home, allowing you to save even more on energy costs than what you'll already be saving thanks to these pieces of genius.
Lighting
What a world we live in where even our lightbulbs can be connected to the internet! Smart light bulbs like Philips Hue, LIFX, and Sengled do just that – allowing you to schedule times for the light to go on and off, and to customize the brightness and color. Some let you choose the level of warmth or coolness that you want. Others even come with multi-color LED capability so you can decorate your living room for Christmas with nothing more than the touch of a finger on your phone. Imagine a world lit up in the color you choose, where you never have to worry about figuring out who's responsible for leaving the light on again.
Gym Equipment
Take your workout to the next level when you enhance it with smart gym equipment like a Peloton or the Mirror. They can do everything from planning the workout that's right for you to correcting your form when you're doing something like squats. Classes generally come through the platform that you're using – so Peloton spin classes are shown on the integrated screen, and with Mirror, a personal trainer pops up to walk you through a full workout. A number of pieces of equipment will even adjust based on the class video you're watching, like increasing the pedal resistance if you're biking through windy terrain in the video. Additionally, working out at home will save you money because you no longer have to worry about the commute to the gym.
Plugs
For those of you truly looking to monitor how much energy you're using, a smart plug such as the Belkin Wemo Insight Plug or the Amazon Smart Plug will be your best friend. Depending on the model you get, you can learn how much electricity each outlet is using to power your plugged-in items like lamps or phone chargers. You can also set times for the plugs to turn on or off (another way to ensure vampire energy isn't coming through the outlets), or have something trigger it to turn on, like motion in the room. Usually, you can control the plugs with an app, a virtual assistant, or by manually plugging and unplugging it. Using a smart plug can improve your security as well by timing and remotely controlling your lights while you're out of town to make it seem like you are still home.
Blinds
Do you remember The Clapper? The little device where you'd clap your hands to turn the lights on and then clap your hands to turn them off again. Smart blinds are like that, but better. They go down, go up, and tilt all automatically, with just a single spoken command – or they learn to do it based on the position of the sun during the day. You can also set timers for the blinds so they go up and down whenever you think is best. SmartWings, Serena Shades, and Yoolax are some smart blind brands to look out for.
Home Speakers
Any self-respecting smart home needs a method to control it all, and that's where a home speaker like Alexa or Siri comes in. When you buy new smart devices and bring them home, you generally set them up to integrate with a speaker so you can give it commands. That's all well and good, but a problem remains – a lot of smart devices don't play nicely together. A new smart home protocol called Matter will make that easy, allowing every device to connect to each other seamlessly. Those smart home speakers will become immeasurably more useful. Just look for Matter compatible devices and you can rest easy knowing it can be seamlessly added to your smart home network.
As an energy provider, we understand the importance of finding ways to save on energy costs. The integration of smart devices in our homes provides an opportunity for us to be more efficient with our energy usage without sacrificing comfort or convenience. From smart thermostats that can automatically adjust temperature settings to smart plugs that can turn off power-hungry devices when not in use, there are many options available to help reduce your energy consumption and save you money.
At OnPoint Energy, we are committed to helping our customers find ways to be more energy-efficient and reduce their carbon footprint. With our fixed-rate plans and innovative solutions, we make it easy for you to take control of your energy usage and save money on your electricity bill. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you achieve your energy goals with smart technology.