Technology has a significant impact on the quality of life we enjoy inside our homes. In recent years, advances in connected devices and AI have made smart home conveniences accessible to most. As a bonus, many of these conveniences also provide more energy-efficient living. And their capabilities are as cool as they are convenient!
Smart AND Energy-Efficient Products
With smart home technology constantly evolving, the number of available options can feel overwhelming. Let’s concentrate on those that offer the best energy savings.
- Smart thermostats: For customers of C & C Heating and Air Conditioning, we recommend starting any smart home transformation with the installation of a smart thermostat that offers homeowners whole house scheduling or even individual control by room. Other features are controlled by a smartphone app that allows you remote access over your HVAC system. You can turn the system on and off remotely, as well as fine-tune room comfort throughout the day. Many models use AI to learn your habits and automatically adjust temperatures, helping you save on heating and cooling costs.
- Automated lights: Timers for lights have been available for years, allowing you to set a schedule for lights to turn on and off without having to do it yourself. With today’s technology, that control has been taken up a notch. The choices range from connected lamps to bulbs, where you’re able to control not only the on/off switch, but also brightness and even color.
- Energy-conserving, smart appliances: When the EPA launched the ENERGY STAR® program in 1992, the extent technology would play in the evolution of energy-efficient home appliances was just a pipe dream. After decades of advances, appliances have fully integrated into the smart homes of today. Connected appliances certainly offer convenient features, like voice control, remote operation, smart screens and machine learning. They also help your home be more energy-efficient by monitoring usage and energy consumption, supplying reports and making automated adjustments.
- Smart plugs: Much like automated lights, smart plugs make your homes more energy efficient by limiting unnecessary consumption. Connected plugs are controlled by a phone or tablet app. Through the app, plugs can turn on and off lights and appliances when not in use, either automatically or by smartphone users. This sort of specific control of individual outlets adds up to substantial energy savings.
- Whole house systems: The grandaddy of all smart home advancements is the whole house system. This product combines many of the above options, including thermostats and lights, with other home controls, like security, voice operation of TVs or music, and video cameras. And as an additional perk, whole house systems respond automatically to your life, using AI to prepare your home for regular events, like a morning routine or arrival home from work. It improves energy efficiency by simply bringing consistency to the home without requiring your constant attention.
Taking the First Step Toward a Smart Home
Sometimes the easiest way to begin a transformation is to dive right into it. However, with smart home technology you don’t have to do it that way. Adding just one or two smart home tools will result in a more comfortable and energy-efficient home. Before long, you’ll have your home fully automated and conserving energy in every way possible.
If you’re interested in learning more about smart thermostats and how they might operate with your Detroit-area home’s heating and air conditioning system, call the experts at C & C Heating & Air Conditioning at (248) 430-5460. Our team is NADCA and North American Technician Excellence certified, and we’ve been trusted to keep Detroit homes comfortable since 1948.
