A common refrain when people look at and hear about smart technology is that they wish they could make their home smart, but because they’re not yet homeowners that such a transition is not for them. The idea here goes that because some of the most popular smart home technologies—such as smart thermostats or smart doorbells—require installation directly into the home, sometimes requiring an electrician or at least approval from the building owner, that those who are renting their apartment or home cannot embrace the rapidly growing smart home trend.
However, this line of thinking is mistaken and is further evidence that the general public has lots to learn about the smart home and smart product market generally. The Internet of Things and the general increasing of smart products in homes is a valuable tool, particularly for those individuals who want to find new and exciting ways to save energy and, thus, money.
So for those who find themselves renting their home, read on for some of the key ways in which you, too, can embrace the energy benefits of smart home products.
,,Smart Plugs,,
An often-overlooked area where smart products are making energy savings possible, for both renters and owners, are in smart plugs. These products plug into existing outlets and then allow you to plug your devices into them, whether that’s a lamp, the various pieces of an entertainment system, office equipment, or anything else. These smart plugs can then be controlled via app, web portal, or even light or occupancy sensors to control when the products plugged into them turn on or off.
These simple and affordable tools allow you to make sure energy vampires don’t suck unnecessary energy into your devices when you’re not using them, such as leaving your DVD player on and ready to receive instructions from the remotes for weeks in between you popping in a movie. Devices can be left on for any number of reasons: forgetting to turn them off, laziness and not wanting to turn off or unplug all devices, or even just a lack of understanding that energy is still being used when plugged in. But smart plugs can beat all of those problems, allowing you to automatically or on a set schedule turn off these devices when they’re not being used, saving you huge amounts of energy (and money!) in the end.
,,Smart Lights,,
Smart lights are one of the most visible and popular parts of the smart home ecosystem, having been around for a long enough time already for people to readily understand and embrace them. Luckily, smart lights aren’t just convenient for turning off the lights from the comfort of under the sheets or for the cool party tricks you can play with the changing colors, but they are a key factor in saving energy in a smart home.
By allowing the automated turning off or dimming of lights to match when and where light is actually needed, thus minimize energy wastefully being used when light is not needed, smart lights are an easy and basic way to get started with saving money in your smart apartment. Even better, you don’t need to worry about getting permission from your landlord because installation is as easy as twisting them into existing sockets. Further, you need not worry about wasted investment when you leave for a new rented home because you can then just as easily unscrew them to take them with you, replacing them with the original light bulbs that were installed when you moved into your rented abode.
,,Smart Assistants,,
A key part of the smart home is the ability to bring it all together and make sure convenient arrangements ensure you are likely to use them in the most energy-saving ways possible. Luckily for energy efficiency enthusiasts and smart home nuts, smart assistants or voice assistants are by far the most common smart home technology on the market today. These products, like Amazon Alexa and Google Home, are able to control the various smart home products in your home through simple voice commands . By making the energy-savings functions of other smart products, such as the smart lights and smart plugs in your rented home, more accessible, smart assistants ensure you get the maximum energy benefits out of your investments.
,,Smart Home Bundle from Power Provider,,
You can’t make the most out of smart home products in a rented home if you don’t invest in smart home products in the first place. Because such devices can be expensive, many people are hesitant to jump in and embrace the world of smart tech, especially unsure of the energy-saving potential they’d actually get while also being afraid of embracing a technology that’s, in their mind, not as viable in a rented home.
However, many energy providers are starting to embrace the smart home revolution and recognizing the value they can bring to customers and the grid alike. Not only do customers benefit when they embrace energy efficient solutions, but the whole energy system becomes more reliable and affordable because less generation, transmission, and distribution capital will need to be invested in the long-run.
Recognizing this ability for smart home products to change home energy management, even in rented homes, your power provider might offer advice and rebates for smart home products, or even provide you smart home products. If you happen to live in the area of coverage of Atlantic Energy, an energy service provider servicing New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Washington DC, customers are offered at no charge the smart home bundle simple for being loyal customers. Under this program, customers receive 1 Wi-Fi Smart Camera and 3 Wi-Fi Color Changing LEDs after 90 days as a customer, 1 Bluetooth speaker bulb and 1 Wi-Fi smart camera after 6 months, 10 LED light bulbs after 12 months, and 3 Wi-Fi smart plugs after 18 months. As previously noted, these products can all be utilized in your home regardless of whether you rent or own, and by understanding how to use them (even connecting them to Amazon Alexa), you’ll be able to not only have fun with these cool gadgets, but also save energy.
The only question left: what’re you waiting for?
