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SALT LAKE CITY — Earth Day provides an opportunity to not only be grateful for the beauty of the outdoors, but also reconsider personal habits regarding energy consumption.
With recent improvements in technology, it is easier than ever to make small changes that have a big impact on how you use energy and natural resources at home. While there will be upfront costs to acquire new devices, in the long-run the increased efficiency can save homeowners money.
Nate Bauer, a Best Buy Geek Squad chief inspector, offered several recommendations for easy-to-use devices that can make a difference at home.
Watering your lawn when it rains is wasteful, but sometimes people forget to turn off their systems when moisture arrives. Luckily, with new sprinkler systems like Rachio that problem could soon be eliminated.
The smart sprinkler system is controlled by an app, letting homeowners put in their zip code so Rachio can find information about where they live. Bauer said it can also determine what type of grass and soil lawns have using photos.
“Through all of that information it’s going to understand the weather patterns — the amount of rain you have received or haven’t received — and will control the sprinkler system accordingly,” he said.
Using the technology, homeowners could save up to 40 percent on their water bill each month, according to Bauer. Some utility companies and government organizations — like Washington County’s Water Conservancy District — offer significant rebates for switching to a smart system.
Cost: $250
Nest’s thermostat is one of the smart products that resonates with consumers most, according to Bauer. He said most people will set their home to 70 degrees but then leave for the day, meaning the home uses more energy than it needs.
“A house will heat or cool to get to 70 degrees when you might not need it at that temperature,” he said. “(Nest) will learn your habits, so if you leave at 7 a.m. every day and get home at 6 p.m. every day it will learn that and adjust the temperature accordingly.”
Nest knows how long it will take the home to reach a desired temperature, meaning it will start heating or cooling at the right time so it will be ready when someone walks back through the door, Bauer said.
Controlling the temperature of the home through Nest’s app can save homeowners around 10 to 12 percent on their heating bill and up to 15 percent on their cooling costs, according to Bauer.
Cost: $250
Light bulbs have come a long way in recent years. Not only are they more energy efficient, but they can do more than simply provide light. Philips’ Hue 2 light bulbs can be controlled by an app to change ambiance, color and even interact with a movie or music.
Bauer, who has the lights installed in his home, said one of his favorite things to do is use the light’s party mode.
“It will go through and it’ll interact with your music and the lights will flash accordingly,” he said.
The app can also be used to set up timers or turn on the lights remotely, which Bauer said could be useful during vacations to make it appear as though someone is home.
The LED light bulbs can last up to 20 years when used an average of three hours per day, meaning homeowners could save money on replacing bulbs over the years. The Hue lights also don’t burn as bright as traditional bulbs, reducing their carbon footprint, according to Bauer.
Cost: Starts at $60
