04 Mar Tech to Turn Your House Into a Green Home
When you think of technology and green living, you probably think of things like biofuel and geothermal heating and cooling. But there are plenty of technologies that every homeowner can utilize to make their space more environmentally-friendly. And, because the digital age is advancing at breakneck speeds, these smart devices are becoming more affordable every day. If you’re looking to shrink your carbon footprint, keep reading.
Heating and cooling, your biggest expense
Your utility bill covers everything from heating your water to running your appliances. But, for most homeowners, the HVAC system is hands-down the highest energy consumer in the home. According to Visual Capitalist, the heating and cooling systemaccounts for nearly half of a home’s yearly energy use, followed by the hot water heater and lighting.
One of the quickest and most affordable ways to up the efficiency of your HVAC is to invest in a smart thermostat. This device, which installs in place of your current thermostat, can be controlled with your smartphone and adjusted for when you are asleep or out of town. You can even turn the heat on a little while before you get home to knock the chill out of the air.
If you want to take your green tech a step further, you can also look into smart shades to block out the sun when things start to heat up. Smart shades may be custom-made for your home, or, as The Ambient notes, you can retrofit standard roll shades into an automated device.
Be aware, however, that even though smart devices don’t eat energy, they will need a strong internet connection. If your internet is slow and lagging, you may want to consider upgrading to 5G service which offers much more power and speed.
A smart refrigerator
Compared to your HVAC, your refrigerator is not a high energy consumer. However, that does not mean that your icebox can’t help you save the planet. If you are one to constantly overbuy at the grocery store because you can’t remember what you have and what you don’t, a smart refrigerator can keep you connected while you are away.
As Tom’s Guide explains, smart refrigerators do this by allowing you to take a quick glimpse from your phone to see if you need milk, for example. This can prevent you from buying more than you need, which reduces food waste. This provides a secondary effect of chipping away at the volume of food being transported, which will lessen your contribution to fossil fuel depletion.
Let there be light
You may not think of LED lightbulbs as technology, but the fact is that these are relatively new compared to the traditional bulb. LEDs are not only brighter, but they can last up to 40 times longer than a standard light bulb. LEDs, which stand for light-emitting diodes, do not have a filament on the inside, but instead are illuminated by the movement of electrons. In addition to saving on your energy bill, swapping all of your light bulbs to LEDs can reduce landfill waste.
If the idea of changing things in your home to meet today’s smart standards seem intimidating, keep in mind that you can hire a professional smart home consultant. This may be cost prohibitive, however, so it might be in your best interest to start small and expand your tech reach as you get more and more comfortable letting AI take over.
The internet, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth technologies have ostensibly had the biggest impact on our world in history. Now they are changing things in a new way. These technologies are ingrained into our every day, and, when used correctly, can help us save both money and the planet we call home one house at a time.
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