It is amazing how much energy we waste simply because our homes are not efficient enough. If someone told you that you were losing money just by sitting in your home, you would probably want to do whatever you could to change that. Well the reality is that your home is using up energy regularly, and there is a huge chunk of that energy that you do not even need. Luckily, we live in a time when technology is constantly coming up with ways to fix problems such as these. Here are some of the ways that technology can help to save the environment, as well as your wallet.
Energy Monitor
If you do not already have an energy monitor, now is the time to install one. An energy monitor will track and display your energy usage, helping you to cut back where you need to. There are a lot of different price levels, and some monitors will automatically cut back when you are using too much energy. The newest kind is a smart thermostat that remembers your habits and adjusts the temperature of your house automatically.
Smart Power Strips
A lot of energy is wasted by appliances that are plugged in to your outlets, but that are not in use. Smart power strips can solve this problem. They can sense when an appliance is not being used, and they will switch off the power supply to that appliance. They also allow you to switch off all of your appliances at once, which saves you time and effort.
Occupancy Sensor Light Switch
A surprising amount of energy is wasted by nothing more than leaving our lights on. An occupancy sensor will help to prevent this problem. With one of these, the lights will switch on automatically when a person enters a room, and they will switch off after a period of inactivity. This removes human error, as you do not have to remember to turn off the light.
Smartphone Controlled Home Automation![]()
There are a large number of apps available for your smartphone that allow you to link together all of the features of your home, so that you can turn them on or off from wherever you are. This means that if you leave the house and forget to turn off a light, or the heating or air conditioning, you can just hop on your smartphone and fix it.
Solar Power
It is long past the time when we needed to be replacing our current energy sources with new, green, renewable ones. Installing solar panels on your house will help you to save energy and money, as you replace the energy that you use with new energy. It’s even possible to lease solar panels in many locations.
Buy Energy Star Products
Energy Star is the government-run program that aims to help people to save money and the environment through buying pre-approved products that are energy efficient. You can visit www.EnergyStar.gov to view a comprehensive list of environmentally-friendly electronics and appliances.
