Is Your Smart Home Underperforming?
The rise in climate and economic consciousness, which has been matched by a surge in technology, has paved the way for homeowners to take personal responsibility for their carbon footprint in their home. Smart homes are designed to help users increase the efficiency of their home while also expanding the functionality and enjoyment. By and large, these Smart systems do work; they're better and more consistent managers of the resources that a home uses every day.
So what causes an underperforming smart home? And how are these problems corrected?
The most significant issue is often that the features are being utilized improperly, if at all. The programs that increase efficiency are just like any other processing program, and if they're set inefficiently, they're not going to provide peak performance. Many smart systems can track your usage, make suggestions or corrections, but only if the homeowner utilizes these features.
Learning the system
A homeowner can maximize Smart efficiency by reading the manual and managing the expectations that come with a Smart home. Most companies will advertise the very top of their capabilities, but that doesn't give an accurate representation of what happens in the average house. So, in some cases, it's a matter of not being aware of what the system can do.
Practical things that can cause efficiency issues:
Before a homeowner complains to the manufacturer, other factors should be considered and checked. For example, in the case of a Smart thermostat, a home energy audit can make sure that the home is well-insulated from the Phoenix heat.
An electrician can check the wiring of the home and look for potential leaks or wasted energy and will have suggestions for maximizing things like lighting, Smart security, water heating, and other systems.
Simple Upgrades that can make a functional smart home even smarter:
Switch the lights in the house to the LED high-efficiency bulbs. They come in such a wide variety of wattages, styles, and brightness that there's no reason not to go with the most energy-efficient lighting source available. LED lighting has a lower temperature than its incandescent counterpart, too.
Upgrade the appliances to the Energy Star rated energy efficient versions. The cost of doing that can be offset by the resale value that's left on any of the current appliances that are in use, as long as it goes to another home that needs it, it isn't any more wasteful than waiting until they need full up replaced.
Invest time and energy into apps that help manage the Smart home better. A Smart home can manage the resources to create a comfortable and energy efficient home, but it needs the homeowner to define what the parameters are. To a Smart home, the most efficient use of resources is to keep the AC turned off all the time, and if the lighting goes on at all, it's on a dim setting. But, it might be worthwhile to take a cue from that thinking and set the parameters a bit higher. Aim for five degrees warmer than was previously set, and encourage lighting to stay down and even off during daylight hours unless given an override.
Keeping the electrical efficiency of a home down is simple, especially when wired in with smart home technology, but it's only a tool. Even a Smart home requires the wiring of a human brain. If you need help getting the most out of your electrical or Smart system, give us a call.
Zimmerman Electric is here to serve your residential and commercial electrical needs throughout the Phoenix Valley metro area. Call us today if you need electrical work performed 602-497-3365.
