Remote Control Thermostat Benefits for Homeowners

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Remote control thermostats are quickly becoming incredibly popular - and for a good reason. These programmable thermostats take efficiency of time and energy to a whole new level. With a smart thermostat system, you can control your climate remotely, which means that you can adjust the temperature inside your home from a device, like a smartphone or tablet. With some of these systems, you can get a reading of what the climate is inside your home, so that you can adjust it accordingly. This can give homeowners a lot more freedom and versatility - it can also lower energy bills and maximize the lifespan of your HVAC unit. Here are some remote control thermostat benefits for homeowners.

1.  Convenient. It is a lot more convenient to control and operate your thermostat from a device than to constantly fiddle with your thermostat hands on. What if you are on a different floor in your home? What if you don't want to get out of bed? What if you aren't home? Having the ability to remotely operate your thermostat can give you unprecedented convenience - convenience that you won't find with traditional thermostats.

2.   Intuitive. With some of the WiFi thermostats for iPhone and Android on the market, you can have a totally intuitive interface to control and operate your HVAC system. Oftentimes, these systems are totally digitized, so all you have to do is use your finger to swipe and scroll through different temperature settings and control options. In fact, these interfaces are so intuitive that you don't need any previous knowledge of computer interfaces to learn how to operate them - they are all self explanatory, so they are perfect for any homeowner. You may even find that your remote controlled thermostat is smarter and more intuitive than your old thermostat.

3.   Lifespan increase. One of the beautiful things about programmable thermostats is that you won't need to use your HVAC system as often. When you can control when, and for how long, your cooling and heating system runs, you can place less impact on the vulnerable parts of the system, like the compressor unit and the fan motor. In the end, you will be faced with less expensive repair bills and you won't have to update your system for a long time.

4.   Savings. Another one of the biggest benefits of a remote controlled thermostat is that you can save money on your monthly energy bills. This is especially important during those particularly brutal summer and winter months. If you purchase a remote thermostat that you can control with your device, you may even get alerts when your system is running more than it has to run - you can even turn the device off from a satellite location.

5.   Efficiency. Indeed, programmable thermostats are incredibly efficient. However, remotely programmable thermostats are even more efficient. Not only are you saving time and money - you are also saving precious resources. In the end, if you are looking for a smarter system - that will have less impact on the environment - you probably want to invest in a remote controlled thermostat for your home.

Indoor and Outdoor Energy Efficient Lighting Options for Homeowners

If there's one thing that every home needs, it's good indoor and outdoor lighting. But if you're someone who has noticed that your energy bills are a bit higher than they used to be (especially if you happen to work from home), it could be because your current lighting choices are not as efficient as they need to be.

The good news is that there is a solution to this problem. Here are five different types of energy-saving lighting options that can have you seeing your budget from a much brighter perspective in no time.

Natural lighting. One of the quickest and easiest ways to bring more like into your home without spending a lot of money in the process is to focus on ways to bring more natural light into your house. You can do this by choosing window treatments that are made out of a sheer fabric or installing blinds that open and close. You can also do this by having your windows professionally tinted (that way, you can look out without others looking into them). Or, you can have a couple of skylights built into your ceilings. They are not just one more way to bring in natural light but they can help to increase the property value of your home as well.

Incandescent bulbs. When it comes to your indoor lighting fixtures, saving energy is about the kind of bulbs that you choose. One great alternative to traditional ones are incandescent bulbs. According to a lot of energy experts, you can save as much as 25 percent of energy by using them.

LED bulbs. A particular bulb that is becoming a favorite is the LED bulb. LED stands for Light Emitting Diode. What it does is use semi-conductors that are inside of the bulb in order to transform electricity into light. LED bulbs are so effective that not only do they only use 20-25 percent of energy, but they reportedly last 25 percent longer than most traditional bulbs do as well.

 

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Compact fluorescent lamps. If you were to ask someone who conducts energy audits for a living about tips for efficient household lighting, something that they might recommend is that you invest in a few compact fluorescent lamps. They are the type of bulbs that look like little curly cues. The reason why they are worth buying is because they're crafted in such a way that they can help you to save as much as 75 percent of your bulb's energy. Plus, on average, they last 10 times longer.

Motion-sensor lighting. When it comes to outdoor lighting, there's one more thing that should be mentioned and that's motion-sensor lighting. By installing it around your home, not only will it help to keep your house safer, but since the lights only come on when someone is within its sensor path, you don't have to worry about leaving your porch lights on all night. If you're interested in knowing how to get the best kind of motion-sensor lighting, visit a local home improvement store like Lowe's or Home Depot for details.

How to Better Understand Your Energy Bill and Find Ways to Save

There's a pretty good chance that whenever you receive your energy bill in the mail, the only thing that you pay attention to is the amount that you owe (or perhaps that past due amount as well). However, being that there is a lot of additional information that's included on it, have you ever wondered what the rest of the data is showing you?

If you've always wanted to have your energy bill simplified, this article will share with you how to read it better. Plus, it will also provide you with a few proven tips on how you can save money on energy costs too.

 

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How to Understand Your Energy Bill

When you first open your bill, there are two numbers you should look for. Yes, one would be the amount that is due. The other would be what is known as the kilowatt-hours. It will appear as this: kWh. 

What it represents is the amount of energy that you've used at the time that the meter reader came to inspect your meter (which is usually every 30 days). Although there are some utilities within your home that are basically given a baseline price (which is a set price for a certain amount of hours each month that the utility is used), if you happen to exceed that baseline, you will be charged more money. 

That's why energy bills, on average, tend to be higher in the summer and winter and lower in the spring and fall. Do take note that if you happen to see a significant spike in your kWh from one month to the next, that could be an indication that you have an air or water leak somewhere in the home or that an appliance is not working properly. If that's the case, you should either conduct an energy audit or hire a professional to come and inspect your house as soon as possible.

How to Reduce Your Energy Costs

When it comes to finding ways to make your home more energy efficient , the good news is that there are several. You can install a programmable thermostat in order to preset the temperature that you want your home to be. You can add more insulation to your attic so that the rooms in your house are better protected from outdoor temperatures. 

You can turn on your ceiling fans in order to increase or decrease the temperature by a few degrees. You can have your HVAC unit inspected twice a year in order to make sure that it's working at an optimal level. You can put LED light bulbs in your lighting fixtures to save as much as 30-40 percent of energy. You can use natural light more often. You can check your windows and doors to insure there are no small holes and cracks; if you do happen to see some, you can cover them up with caulking so that you won't have any more drafts. 

You can also unplug anything that doesn't need any electrical charge (such as your refrigerator) overnight. By doing these simple things, you can easily reduce your monthly energy costs by as much as 35-45 percent. For more tips on ways to conserve energy, visit Energy.gov and put "conserve energy" in the search field.

Alfresco Blinds: Perth Home Renovators Suggest Using These to Create Extra Useful Space for Your Home

Do you own a modest home that’s just the right size for your family but too small if you add another member? Well, most homes in Australia are such, especially in the city where dwellings are made in a compact fashion. It’s easy to come up with solutions to make do with small rooms especially if they’ll be used by the little ones; nowadays, there are beds designed for three people that can fit in a single bedroom – it’s certainly cramped, but young children rarely have any issue with that. However, if you’ll be housing a weekend guest, you’re going to have to create more comfortable conditions for him or her.

One of the savvy solutions to consider that you can quickly carry out for such a purpose (but can also maintain permanently for your home) is a thoughtful installation of Alfresco blinds. Perth home renovators claim that these blinds are perfect for properly enclosing porches, terraces, patios and even gazebos. Commonly used by dining establishments to take advantage of natural lighting and ventilation — and most customers’ desire for an easy view of the “outside” — these blinds effortlessly showcase their functional potentials which can be applied to other building structures, such as the regular home.

Now, going back to the creation of extra useful space for the home, these blinds can be installed in home extensions that directly open to the outdoors, such as the ones mentioned earlier. They are durable and sturdy enough to provide protection from winds, dust, insects and other elements, hence they make great “instant” walls. Home renovation professionals say that using these blinds to enclose patios, porches and gazebos to create a private, useful room is like being able to provide guests a very comfortable tent to temporarily live in.

Alfresco blinds come in retractable types that can be quickly adjusted to provide the right amount of shade and privacy for a space. Some can be controlled by a remote control and roll up quickly at a push of a button, and then there are those that can be pushed and locked up (to serve as an instant roofing extension) and down. They can also come in various materials and designs to meet the functional and aesthetic requirements of homeowners.

So, if you find yourself in need of an extra room for your house guests to use, consider this economical solution if you’re not keen on going for a real renovation job. These blinds will continue to prove their value as home features long after your guests have left.

About the Author:

Kenneth Lawrence is a passionate "handyman". His craft involves DIY concepts and he loves to share guidelines and tips about stuff on home improvement. He writes and reads about almost anything that can help him hone his skills and increase his knowledge about DIY concepts. He got the inspiration to write this article from http://www.visiondecor.com.au/.