Owning a smart home gives us a lot of control over how our homes are run. However, does it also equate to controlling how much energy we consume at home? Of course, upgrading to a smart home need not be expensive overall. Here are some devices to help you keep your power bill at a manageable rate.
Transitioning to smart tech won’t hurt your wallet in the long run.
Smart power strips and smart plugs
These nifty devices work like your regular extension cords and adaptors, except that they can connect to the Internet via your PLDT Home Fiber Plus Plans. You can then connect these devices to a functioning electrical outlet. Any appliance you plug into a smart socket, or power strip instantly becomes a smart device you can control through your smartphone, tablet, or voice assistant.
From Xiaomi Official Website
Anything plugged into an outlet, even when it’s turned off, still consumes a significant amount of electricity. This is known as “phantom load” and can contribute up to 10% of your home’s power bill. Utilizing the schedule function of your smart plug or power strip can solve this problem. That way, any appliance can simply switch on and off as needed, saving energy costs.
From Lasco Official Website
Certain smart sockets, like the Lasco Smart Dual Plug or the CrabTek WiFi Smart Plug, are equipped with energy monitoring functions to help monitor your appliance’s energy consumption. The Hatsy Wifi Smart Power Strip, on the other hand, can automatically detect and cut off power from appliances that are on standby mode or aren’t in use.
Smart bulbs
Smart bulbs and lighting systems are manufactured using LED technology and consume at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. They also don’t generate as much heat as traditional bulbs do; in fact, only 5% of the electricity from “normal” bulbs transmit as light. Studies from Shell Energy in the UK also state that smart lighting can save users more money in the long term.
From CrabTek Official Website
Much like typical smart tech, smart lighting systems can be automated to switch on and off at specific intervals. Even if they have multiple modes and lighting options, they also still won’t consume as much energy. Specific brands of smart bulbs, such as the CrabTek WiFi Smart LED Bulb, contain all the functions of smart lighting, with as little as 7W to light up your home.
Smart refrigerators
Despite their advanced features, you’d be surprised that smart fridges are more energy efficient. Aside from leveraging newer technology, smart refrigerators continually monitor issues and can automatically adjust temperatures. In case of a power outage, for example, a smart fridge will automatically adjust to keep its internal temperature at a safe level to prevent food spoilage until electricity is restored. During prolonged power cuts, however, a smart refrigerator will notify you that its internal temperature has exceeded its recommended “safe” level, prompting you to take action to keep your food safe.
The Samsung Family Hub is one example of an energy-efficient smart refrigerator. It’s equipped with a Digital Inverter Compressor that automatically adjusts its speed to respond to cooling demand. This smart fridge uses up 50% less power, utilizes less energy during off-peak hours, and based on research, uses 772 kWh in yearly energy consumption. Check out our review of the Samsung Family Hub below.
Power your home the smart way
Not only do smart appliances provide you with cost savings that will benefit you in the long run, but they also help make things easier at home. Now, you can also enjoy the perks of having a smart home with PLDT Home WiFi. Upgrade to a PLDT Home Fiber plan today!