June 12, 2022

How Smart Devices help Homeowners Save Energy (and Money)

American households spend an average of $115/month on electricity, and a significant amount of that energy is wasted. With energy prices rising, utilizing energy saving devices for your home is more important than ever. Across the country, homeowners in new home communities like Pecan Square by Hillwood in Northlake, TX are capitalizing on cutting-edge energy saving smart home devices to save money, limit energy waste, and extend the lifetime of the home itself.

What are Smart Home Devices?

Smart home devices are technologies that either proactively or reactively work to increase energy efficiency throughout your home, eliminating energy “drain” and reducing waste. They include smart thermostats, plugs, lights, appliances, and even smart home security systems. Often, these devices are linked together through a smart home “hub” of operations and a reliable, home wide WiFi network, offering the homeowner instant access via a smartphone app, even from outside the home.

How do Smart Home Devices Save Energy and Money?

Reduce Energy Drain

Because energy usage fluctuates throughout the day, there are daily spikes of “peak demand” where grids work overtime to supply energy to homes as families go through morning and evening routines. Energy saving devices work to automatically counteract these spikes by turning off appliances, lights, or heating and cooling systems when not in use. Beyond simply conserving energy, this reduces the “energy drain” that can lead to higher-than-necessary energy bills. And whether you walk out of a room with a light still on or leave an appliance door open, unnecessary energy usage through error happens more than you may know. An energy saving smart home counteracts this by alerting a homeowner or acting directly to stop or limit that unneeded energy usage.

Extend the Life of Appliances

Replacing an appliance is one of the biggest and most consistent costs to any homeowner. If you’ve ever had to pay for a brand-new dishwasher, refrigerator, or oven, you know it’s not cheap. This is changing thanks to smart devices, which notify a homeowner the instant a repair is needed. Replacing a single part the moment it isn’t working can extend the life of the appliance, by reducing internal wear and tear and eliminating the damage a single faulty part can cause to other parts that are working correctly. Not to mention, replacing a single part is exponentially cheaper than replacing the entire appliance.

Alert Homeowners to Problems

Owning a home means dealing with problems, and the sooner a homeowner is aware of one, the better. This is where smart home devices can really help. The cost of repairing a leaky pipe can be huge, so a single alert from a smart water leak and freeze detector can end up saving a homeowner thousands of dollars in repair or replacement costs.

The same is true for a home security system. False alarms are a common issue that can add up to massive fines from local law enforcement for repeat false-alarm responses. A smart home security system offers not just instant alerts, but instant real-time access to security cameras straight from your smartphone, reducing the need for those calls.

FAQs about Smart Devices

How can devices save energy?
Energy saving devices work in one of two ways: either proactively by limiting unnecessary energy usage, or reactively by counteracting energy inefficiencies. Both options reduce the home’s overall energy usage and save the homeowner significant amounts of money.

Why is energy-saving technology important?
Cutting unnecessary power usage saves a homeowner money immediately by lowering their power bill. Beyond that, less energy usage can also extend the life of the appliances in your home. Less usage means less wear and tear, allowing you to enjoy your favorite household appliances for much longer. In addition, extending the lifetime of household appliances creates less overall waste over time, helping to minimize your home’s long-term environmental impact.

How does home automation save energy in a Pecan Square home?
Every Pecan Square home includes the Canopy Technology Bundle. This best-in-class technology package includes full home Wi-Fi coverage, incredibly fast half-gigabyte internet, a Ring video doorbell, and an Amazon Echo Show. And Pecan Square residents also have access to tech support if they have questions, need help setting up their technology, or wish to add other energy saving devices for their home.

Come See the Energy Saving Smart Homes at Pecan Square by Hillwood

If you’re interested in an energy saving smart home of your own, Pecan Square by Hillwood has what you’re looking for!  Check out our lifestyle community and its fantastic amenities online, take a virtual tour, or come see Pecan Square in person.  Be sure to stop first at the Greeting House for a community tour. We can’t wait to see you soon!