If you are trying to make a positive impact on the environment, not to mention your bank account, energy efficiency is one solution. According to the US EPA, “Using energy more efficiently is one of the fastest, most cost-effective ways to save money, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create jobs, and meet growing energy demand.” So here are 4 ways you can enhance the energy efficiency of your home with a Smart Home and help from SEi.
1. Thermostat control
According to the S. Energy Information Administration, heating and cooling your home is where a huge chunk of your energy costs go – almost 32%! There are a lot of ways you can reduce that cost. The largest is through upgrading your home insulation. But another great way is by having smart controls for your thermostat.
When your smart thermostat is linked to your security system, even an unexpected snow day or early day off work won’t be a challenge to your energy efficiency because the security system knows whether your home is currently occupied based on whether or not it’s armed. When the system is armed, it knows no one is there. And when it’s disarmed it knows people are home – even if it’s not on your normal schedule.
2. Control overhead garage doors
Your garage door is a large and pretty obvious source of heat loss for your home. This is especially true if your garage door isn’t insulated or has windows in it. But when the garage door is left open, it can really affect the temperature, and therefore energy efficiency, of your home. Not to mention it’s hard on your car battery to be at temperatures under 30 degrees. A smart garage door controller from SEi can help.
With SEi’s garage door controls, you can receive alerts when your garage door is opened or closed and when it has been left open for an extended time. Then you can either shut the garage door right from your smartphone or have it set to close automatically.
3. Blind/shutter control
Blinds and shutters not only help to keep the sun from heating the inside of your house, but they can also help to reduce the amount of cold lost through your windows. This is because they trap an insulating layer of air between the blinds and the window. If you have smart blinds and/or shades, you can use this to your advantage for energy efficiency. This is especially true for any windows that aren’t on the South side of the house.
Open your blinds on sunny winter days to gain the advantage of the sun’s heat and close them during the night to keep the cold weather out. You can even change the settings on each blind based on the season of the year.
4. Automated lighting
Energy-efficient light bulbs can help reduce your energy consumption and costs. But that’s less helpful when your kids leave the lights on! With smart lighting, you can have the lights linked to your security system in the same way your thermostat is. You can also use motion detectors to turn your lights on and off as you enter and leave a room. This works for smart ceiling fans, too!
For extra security, randomize your lights when you are away for an extended time, making it harder for thieves to tell you aren’t there.
Smart homes and energy efficiency go very well together. And SEi can help tie all the pieces together to make the system function at its best. Contact us today to learn more.
