How to Manage Your Winter Energy Bills
Smart Home Control Tips That Reduce Your Seasonal Carbon Footprint
Cutting down on your monthly energy bills is a big priority during the winter months. As the days get shorter and colder, your lights and thermostat work overtime to keep your family comfortable and safe. Often these costs are exacerbated by the fluctuating temperatures in Highland Park, TX. What can you do to stay a step ahead and reduce costs without sacrificing comfort? Make the most of the winter with these smart home control solutions.
SEE MORE: 3 Ways Smart Home Automation Simplifies Your Life
Lighting Control
There are a variety of ways lighting control makes it easy to manage your lights, so you only use them when needed.
Establish timers which are especially useful for landscape or holiday fixtures, with lights coming on at sunset and turning off automatically after you go to bed. Do you have a set work and school schedule? Turn lights off automatically at the time you leave the house in the morning.
Are your family schedules too inconsistent to benefit from timers? Never leave a light on in an empty room again through the use of motion sensors. If there's no movement for some time, lights turn off on their own.
There are also more efficient ways to use your lights when you are home. Not only can you install energy efficient bulbs—like replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs—but we also recommend adding dimmers. How often do you need lights at full intensity? If you're watching a movie, having a romantic dinner, or preparing for bed, dim them to create a more comfortable environment and save on your monthly bills as well.
Climate Control
Your monthly energy bills will come down mainly to your heating and cooling system, which accounts for up to 50 percent of utility bills. Now you can use the same smart home controls you use for your lights with your thermostats to immediately cut down on your energy use.
In the winter, program a colder, energy-saving mode for when you’re out of the house. Activate this mode easily via motion sensors, timers, or a dedicated touchpad. Go with a cooler temperature at night when you snuggle under the blankets and raise it back up when it’s time to get up in the morning.
Motorized Shades
Motorized shades also lend a helping hand to both your lights and thermostat. In the coldest times of the day, the shades close to insulate your space and make it easier to keep your home comfortable while expending less energy. They also prevent you from using up too much artificial light throughout the day. They come up automatically when the sun is out to provide natural lighting for your space.
Now is the best time to embrace the green home lifestyle with these smart technology tips. Enjoy lower energy bills each month with a custom smart home solution from Texadia Systems. If you want to learn more or set up a consultation, call us at 214.956.5820 or fill out our online contact form.