Purchasing gadgets that help you save energy in your home is an effective way to lower your utility bill and live a greener lifestyle. It is difficult to know which devices work well and which ones are simply a waste of money. Here are a few that help you lower your costs so you can save the money for more important items.
One of the most useful gadgets is the programmable thermostat. It allows you to turn the heat or air conditioning up, down or completely off when you are away from home. The newer thermostats even allow you to operate them via your smartphone or another Wi-Fi compatible device. Think how nice it would be to arrive home after a two-week vacation with the house at just the right temperature to relax. This feeling is even more enjoyable if you didn’t waste energy on cooling it while away on your trip. Contact your energy provider because some companies give you a discount on your utility bill if you purchase certain energy-saving gadgets. Most brands of programmable thermostats are available at discount, hardware and home supply stores.
Knowing how much energy you and your family wastes each day helps you become more aware of the need to shut off or unplug the energy-zapping item. Invest in an inexpensive Belkin Conserve Insight Energy-Use Monitor to determine the amount of energy wasted. It even allows you see the amount of money that is wasted since it comes pre-loaded with the national average in the United States or you can set it to your local rate. This is an ingenious way to get your point across to teenagers and younger children in the household. Show them the dollar amount that the electronic device uses annually and then compare the cost to something they desire, like a concert ticket or a new cell phone.
Another inexpensive gadget is the Belkin Conserve Socket. Think of electronic devices that you or family members leave on occasionally, like a curling iron, coffee maker or a space heater. Not only do these electronics waste energy, they can also cause fires that can damage or destroy your home. If you plug the device into the socket, you don’t have to worry about this danger or the waste of electricity. You can program the gadget to shut off the device automatically after a specified time, such as a half hour or up to six hours.
The Lutron’s Maestro Occupancy/Vacancy Sensing Switch is a wise purchase if you have kids or anyone else in your home who frequently forgets to turn off the light when exiting a room. The sensor automatically turns the light on when someone enters the room. Once it detects no activity inside the room for a certain period, the sensor automatically turns off the light. This is a handy feature for the laundry room, children’s bedrooms, closets or any other room in your home.
