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According to the US Energy Information Administration, the average American home consumed an annual average of 10,649 kWh in 2019, translating to 877kWh monthly. With the rising concern for the environment and the need to conserve energy, it’s about time every household took an active role in saving energy for the sake of future generations.

Monitoring Your Gadgets

While a look at your bill will tell you about your household’s energy consumption, it is important to determine what individual gadgets in your home consume. From there, you can make informed decisions. Luckily, you don’t have to do any calculations yourself if you can buy an electricity usage monitor.

This simple plug-in device not only reveals the kWh a device draws but also allows you to calculate a week’s, month’s, or even year’s consumption. With this kind of information, you can easily determine whether your gadget is economical and plan your energy expenses. Once you understand every device, cutting down your energy expenses is easy. Consider these smart gadgets for your home:

A Programmable Thermostat

A significant number of homeowners do not know that programming your thermostat can save you thousands of dollars. They achieve this by minimizing energy use when heating and cooling are unnecessary, like when everyone is away at school or work. With a programmable thermostat, homeowners can control the home temperature for maximum efficiency.

Home heating and cooling expenses are an excellent place to start when you want to minimize your monthly expenses. This is because they form a large percentage of your expenditure. Businesses can also make significant savings by cutting down on heating and cooling during non-working hours and days.

A Water Leakage Detector

Water is essential for running a home, and dry taps are one of those things that can throw a home into chaos. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, America loses up to I trillion water gallons each year, thanks to leaks. Unfortunately, many of these leaks go undetected. In a world where global warming is a rising concern, every drop of water is precious and should be conserved.

There are many ways water can leak in the home. Common leak sources include taps, toilet flappers, and showerheads. These are easy to detect and fix. However, some out of sight places like hidden pipes and under sinks may leak gallons before homeowners realize. Installing a leak detector will help you discover leaks as soon as they start so that you do not have to pay an inflated water bill on spilled water.

Installing Solar Panels

Harnessing solar energy is part of the go green movement and is one of the most cost-efficient energy sources. In the past, most households shied away from installing solar panels due to their prohibitive costs. However, recent years have seen a considerable reduction in costs. While it might seem an expensive affair, solar energy is one investment that pays itself off.

While going off-grid may be difficult due to the weather and state laws, you can substitute electricity with solar power for some operations like lighting and water heating. Hot showers are non-negotiable for most households, and finding a way to enjoy them without feeling the pinch is a worthwhile investment.

Energy Saving Bulbs

Lighting the home is necessary, although it costs a lot. Yet, a simple thing like replacing all traditional bulbs with energy-saving bulbs can go a long way to cut down lighting expenses. Standard energy-saving bulbs include light-emitting diodes (LEDs), compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), and halogen incandescents. Using these bulbs will slash your lighting costs by up to 80%.

And then, it gets better. These bulbs last up to 25 times longer than traditional bulbs, saving a lot of money spent on replacements. You can also choose the light level that you’re comfortable with. Also, they come in various shapes, sizes, and colors and there is one for every liking.

Smart Power Strips

In many homes, electric gadgets stay connected to power whether they are in use or not. It can be challenging to remember to switch off all appliances. You will be surprised to discover that even a plugged-in charger still draws some energy. The more the devices you have plugged in, the higher the energy consumption.

Smart power strips are an effective way to ensure that any idle device does not consume power. They work by automatically shutting off any unused devices. With the incorporation of Alexa control in these strips, energy wastage from electronics does not have to be a bother anymore.

Motion Sensor Lighting

Some homes have a reasonable number of lights, and switching them off after use may not be a problem unless the homeowners forget to do it, which happens a lot. As for expansive homes with sprawling compounds, switching lights on and off is time-consuming. Also, it is expensive.

However, with motion-sensing lights, you do not have to remember to switch off, and they will only be in use when an object is in proximity. This will greatly reduce lighting expenses for a household. In addition, they are a deterrent to theft. No thief wants the spotlight on them, and you can enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep more often.

A Battery Charger

Battery chargers were all the rage a few years back when they got into the market. Most people seem to have ditched them after getting over the hype. Nevertheless, they can help you save money spent replacing dead batteries. So if you have loads of toys, remote controllers, and other battery-using gadgets, consider getting a battery charger.

Sometimes you will need professional help to determine the efficiency of your home devices. If you would like an expert opinion on your home’s HVAC appliances, the Comfortec team will be glad to hear from you. Contact us today and take charge of your air conditioning expenditure once and for all.