Most homeowners will agree that utility costs continue to increase each year. And without taking some measures to reduce the use of energy and water, the bills are becoming a significant drain on their household budget. So it is very understandable why some of these thrifty homeowners are checking into smart devices to curb their water and energy usage. And while not every home will be quick to adopt these smart devices, some regions of the country should be ready to sign on immediately to help reduce their ever-growing drought conditions and energy shortages.
Saving Water Outdoors
We all know that using an irrigation system to water your grass and plants is far more economical than watering with a garden hose. The professionally designed systems offer very well-balanced water distribution across a large area to reduce waste and damage to plants and grass. But now it is time to take the next set and go from automated watering to smart, automated watering.
While we would like to think that everyone is careful to only water the appropriate amount, that is not the case. How often have you seen water running down the sidewalk or gutter after a neighbor’s sprinklers have been running? That water is wasted, and so is the money that your neighbor spent on it. And even more widespread are the times when you drive down the street and see sprinklers happily doing their job spraying water on a lawn. The only problem is that it is pouring rain.
The solution for both of these issues lies in smart irrigation controllers. These devices are connected to the Internet via your home’s wireless network. And that connection allows the controller to gather data about the current weather conditions, including temperature and humidity, to determine how much water your lawn and plants will need. Then the controller waters accordingly. And with an added rain sensor, the system knows when it is raining. So you will never be embarrassed to pull into your driveway in the rain and while your sprinklers are running.
And as an added feature, you can access the irrigation controller remotely, should you need to turn off the water for some reason. This can be handy when you are having something delivered, getting maintenance done on your home, or a neighbor calls because there is a leak in your irrigation system. But clearly, the most significant value of smart irrigation controllers is that they save you a substantial amount of wasted water and the expense that goes along with it.
Smart Hot Water
Equally as exciting is a water heater that learns when your household uses the majority of its hot water. So rather than paying to keep water hot 24/7, this unit reduces the water temperature in the holding tank when there is typically no demand for hot water. In essence, this is much like the benefit of having a tankless water heater without the unit’s cost and the need to repipe your hot water lines. And the added savings on your monthly energy bill helps cover the cost of your smart water heater. Other features include alerts from your water heater to let you know that it is not operating at peak efficiency or to remind you that it is time for its service appointment to be scheduled.
To learn more about smart plumbing features for your home, call us. The licensed plumbers at Action Air & Plumbing are very knowledgeable about these products. They can also offer you some beneficial tips on other ways to save both water and utility costs around your home.
