How Smart is your Home?
Smart Home Plumbing & HVAC
As we enter 2018 and reflect on the previous year, there are many crazy things that rush into our minds, but for me as it relates to our homes, nothing stands out more than IoT (internet of things), and the increasing amount of smart technology in our homes. In fact, 2017 was predicted to see a 33% increase in the sale of smart home technologies and research shows that more than 41% of Americans now have some form of smart home technology working for them in their homes (State of the Market: Connected Home 2017, 2017). With the ever-increasing marketing surrounding these products it can be difficult to know which ones are the most important, and which ones can save you time, money, and headaches.
The current big sellers in smart home devices are smart home appliances such as vacuums and refrigerators, followed by thermostats, then security. All of these are helpful options; however, we would like to focus specifically on what we at Progressive know best, and what we believe can be the biggest saver and insurance for your home.
Smart HVAC and plumbing technologies
Smart thermostats now account for 16% of smart tech sales (Goovaerts, 2017). It has been shown that upgrading from a traditional thermostat to a smart thermostat can help increase your efficiency savings by 10-12% savings on heating and 15% savings on cooling, or about $131-145 in savings a year (Grant, 2016). Additionally, if you have an HVAC system that is more than 10 years old, if you upgrade to a new, properly installed, high-efficiency HVAC system you can see an additional total savings increase of 20% (Energy Savings at home – When is it time to replace?, n.d.). The savings are quite impressive and if you have been putting off replacing your HVAC system now maybe the time to take advantage of the new increases in efficiency available. Additionally, customers who are utilizing these smart and efficient systems and are duke energy customers, are also getting the added benefits of rebates with Duke Energy’s Smart Saver programs. Visit their website to see if your home qualifies to start saving money today!
Many of us are familiar with the benefits of using a smart thermostat, but another interesting new smart home option to recently gain traction is smart water main shutoff valves. Although these do not offer direct savings from an efficiency standpoint, they to offer a comforting protection from emergency water loss situations. A leaking dishwasher, washing machine, or hot-water heater can cost you thousands in repairs and become a major headache. These new shutoff valves feature remote sensors that can be placed in high risk areas throughout the house. These remote sensors communicate back to a module that sits on your water main and will close it immediately if a sensor detects moisture. Whether it’s an upgrade to a vacation home or a safety net for your primary residence, these systems pay for themselves in peace of mind and protection. Additionally, as this technology gains more public attention, some companies are now starting to offer homeowners insurance discounts for customers who are utilizing these technologies.
The excitement for technology continues as every year we see new innovative advancements in products and services that are designed to improve our lives by adding protection and increasing ease of use as well as efficiency. If you are interested in finding out how we can help to add convenience and protection to your home, feel free to give our smart home sales rep a call and we can answer any questions and provide you with an estimate for a smart home upgrade today!
References
Energy Savings at home – When is it time to replace? (n.d.). Retrieved from Energy Star: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_checklist_consumers
Goovaerts, D. (2017, May 05). More Than 40 Percent of Americans Have Adopted Smart Home Tech. What’s Stopping the Rest? Retrieved from Wireless.com: com/data-focus/2017/05/more-40-percent-americans-have-adopted-smart-home-tech-whats-stopping-rest
Grant, M. (2016, August 27). How much money can you save with a smart thermostat? Retrieved from Smartthermostatguide.com: https://smartthermostatguide.com/how-and-how-much-money-you-can-save-with-a-smart-thermostat/
State of the Market: Connected Home 2017. (2017, August 01). Retrieved from State of the Market: State of the Market: Connected Home 2017
« Back to List