Inexpensive home automation is here. It brings automated features to homeowners, and, for the first time, to renters and apartment dwellers. That’s because remote tools no longer have to be built into a dwelling. Using your own Wi-Fi router, you can add automation a little at a time using smart thermostats, wall plugs, light bulbs and switches.
Matthew Babbitts, energy services project manager for Clark Public Utilities, suggests a smart thermostat as the place for homeowners to begin.
“Not only do smart thermostats help lower your utility bill by avoiding wasted energy, some connect to other smart devices in your home,” he said.
The utility offers a $50 rebate on the Nest Generation 3, NestE, Carrier Cor, the Ecobee-3 and -4. At big box stores, these models range between $170 at the low end for the Ecobee-3 to a high of $250 for the rest.
Unlike programmable thermostats of the past, the smart ones learn your lifestyle over time and can adjust the temperature settings based on the comings and goings in your home. The models qualifying for rebate also connect with your smartphone so you can control home temperature remotely. When you’re a certain distance from home, a vacation sensor automatically sets the home temperature to “vacation mode” to keep costs down.
Smart thermostats can also connect to audio devices such as Amazon Echo, Google Home and Apple HomePod so you can change temperature settings with your voice. Recently Ecobee worked with Amazon to include the Alexa voice control software in its Ecobee-4. This gives the thermostat a voice activation feature to easily control other devices.
While a smart thermostat may not be high on the list of improvements to rental properties, there are other automated tools renters can invest in to make the home more comfortable and control costs, and then take those devices to their next residence.
Wi-fi enabled LED bulbs run about $25 each (and are often on sale for less). While more expensive than standard LEDs, they can last more than a decade and can be taken with if you move. These bulbs add automated lighting to the areas that you want simply by replacing an existing bulb with a Wi-Fi controlled one. Bulbs can come with a variety of features ranging from control by smartphone app to voice control.
Smart switches offer even more flexibility. You can schedule lights to turn on and off, set the switch to random to make it appear that someone is home when you’re away, and even pair it with a voice controller. Some manufacturers package smart switches with smart plugs. Depending on the bundle, a kit of two switches and a plug cost around $100.
You can buy smart plugs, too. They easily slide into your wall sockets, and then you plug in the lamp or appliance you want to control via a smartphone or voice. Many don’t require starter kits and are sold singly or in multipacks, allowing you to choose how much automation you want over lights and appliances. A single smart plug runs about $35 and a pack of three about $90.
For both smart switches and plugs, read the labels carefully to determine which devices can be controlled and which voice controllers they are built to pair with. It’s unlikely they will link to all devices on the market, nor control all devices. And once you commit to a specific manufacturer’s smart devices, you may not be able to mix and match them with other brands.
“We’re not far from the day when we can control all electronic devices remotely through wireless connections and the internet,” said Babbitts. “For lower utility bills, customers should begin looking at technologies that learn personal preferences and schedules, and can keep the home comfortable without wasting energy.”
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
