How Can a Smart Home Save the Family Budget?

When people hear the phrase “smart home” they think it must be a massive expense. The truth is, though, it actually saves money in the long run. Families who’ve recently implemented smart devices into their lives love how much money they save every month. The return on investment for smart home products is the reason more and more families are automating their lives.

Improve Energy Efficiency

According to the Department of Energy, the average home can save as much as 10% on heating and cooling by adjusting the temperature by 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day. While you’re away at work or asleep at night, you won’t even notice this adjustment. Adjusting the temperature with a traditional thermostat can lead to many frustrations, though.

If you adjust the temperature when you leave in the morning, the temperature when you return home could be boiling hot in the Summer or uncomfortably cold in the Winter. It could take an hour or more for your home to reach a comfortable temperature. Similarly, many people struggle to sleep when the temperature is adjusted at night unless the adjustment occurs after they are already fast asleep.

Smart thermostats, such as the Nest thermostat, allow you to control the temperature in your home from afar. When you leave work in the evening, set the thermostat to start heating or cooling your house to a comfortable level. It’s also possible to set a schedule so the temperature can be adjusted during sleep. You’ll be able to save significant amounts of energy without sacrificing any comfort. You’ll realize one day that you have more money, and you hardly had to change a thing.

Keep Utility Bills Low

Sadly, too many of us know the pain of getting an electric bill that nearly gives you a heartache. Parents especially know the struggle of trying to get kids to remember to turn out the lights when leaving a room. Smart lights can save you from that endless battle, though, because you can turn out the lights even after you’ve left home. You can set all your lights to turn out at night, so you never have to walk the house checking each room when you really just want to go to bed.

Not only can smart lights turn out the lights when they aren’t needed, but you can also dim the lighting when full brightness is unnecessary. When lights only have an “on” or an “off” feature, most people use more electricity than is really needed. When you install smart lights, you have so much more control, which can bring your electric bill down tremendously.