By George DeMare, Vice President Business Development–
Every year, new devices help make homes safer and greener. Smart homes make life more convenient while also saving homeowners money. Here are four smart devices that help make homeowners life easier while saving money.
Smart Thermostat
Utility bills make up a significant portion of a monthly budget. The average family spends more than $2,000 a year on utilities with more than half of that going towards heating and cooling costs. Smart thermostats are designed to provide comfort and energy savings without having to constantly mess with thermostat settings. They also allow you to access and adjust your thermostat remotely from a mobile device when you are away from your home.
Savings
The exact amount a homeowner saves with a smart thermostat depends on a variety of factors such as home size, layout, the season, and location. Some smart thermostats even use home sensors to auto adjust temperatures and save money when no one is home.
Smart Security Devices
Approximately 1.4 million homes are burglarized each year with the average loss just over $2,400. Insurance is all about risk, so if a homeowner has a smart device, they lower the risk of a claim. With so many smart security system options out there, it is easy to find one that fits your security and budget needs.
Savings
Many insurance companies offer discounts on monthly premiums if a homeowner has a security system installed. Always ask for any additional insurance discounts or incentives for installing smart security devices and/or smoke alarms.
Smart Lighting
Lighting makes up 12 percent of the typical utility bill. Saving money on lighting comes down to efficient use of lighting and choosing better lightbulbs. LED smart light bulbs are more efficient than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs. The use of motion sensors to automatically turn lights on and off when people enter and exit a room is on the rise as well.
Savings
LED bulbs using up to 80 percent less energy and last 25,000 hours. Smart lighting integrated into a smart home system gives a homeowner control remotely so no lights are left on accidentally.
Smart Doorbell Camera
More than half of Americans, prefer to shop online. This convenient consumer habit, unfortunately, keeps porch pirates in business. More than 23 million people have had a package stolen from their doorstep. Many of the smart security systems on the market offer a smart doorbell option.
Savings
A doorbell camera can send a notification to a smartphone whenever someone comes to the door whether they ring the bell or not. Homeowners know when packages are delivered. Some even have two-way talk functionality where an app is used to speak through the doorbell.