Question

What would you guys recommend i get first? I have gotten a hub but not installed yet (smartthings) and some lights I was wondering what would be most impactfull or helpfull to reduce the electricity bill at home. New appliances would be great but thats rather far away in terms of money. Was thinking if any smart plugs could make a meaningfull imapct on the bill in the long run.  

Answer 1

Hmmm. Interesting question. Two things tend to save money - LED bulbs that are turned off/down when not in use, or turning off the heating. Both can be made Smart, but it does tend to cost a lot to do it, so it could take a few years to pay back the investment.  

Comments

Maybe checking what appliances that draws a bit to much phantom power as well. maybe the tv is drawing 10-30 watts on standby or other appliances and then putting them connected to smart plugs so you can turn them off completely so they are never on standby when not needed :D

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@kaine Depends very much on the device - newer TVs use very little power in standby and are not meant to be powered down totally - it can actually cause problems, particularly if you interrupt a software update. Older (not smart) TV's may be worth it though. Same with other appliances - depends on the power draw, but bear in mind smart sockets themselves draw power too, and the cost of the socket may exceed the cost savings for a considerable time. You could get a power meter to measure what devices are using and then see what's worth automating. Or, like many of us, just automate everything you can, because you can! :)

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Yeah if i could i would switch out our appliances, fridge, freezer, stovetop, dishwasher, clothes washer. Was also thinking about adding an outdoor power socket to the garage so i can attach the cable from my car to that so i dont have to go out to plug it in nor go into the basement to turn the garage electricity off. We probably have poor wiring or a lackluster wiring here in our house or sweden in general so cant have to many applainces on at once or else breakers/fuses will blow all the time xD so if i couild just automate that with like a fibaro button or something to turn the wall plug on and off that would be heavenly

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Would save me from going out in -20c weather to plug the cord into the car to turn the heating on and would save me from having to go down into the basement and turn off the power to the garage.  

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@sizable if you are in that cold a weather your heating bill is going to be the majority of your utilities. And a house built in the 30s may not have insulation in the walls. Smart plugs are generally about convenience not power savings. Where you will get savings is the high pull power items. Most smart plugs aren’t rated to handle the loads. Hot water heaters are a big sucker. Wrap it with insulation. Wrap your pipes too.  

Answer 2

Most of your savings will come from smart thermostats as an example. I use smart plugs and switches more for convenience and mood setting. Like anything, knowing where you are using power is key. LED bulbs and not using space heaters etc.  

Comments

Yeah our home is to old for thermostats :P its built in like the 30s or 40s XD

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@kaine our home is heated by a gas pot belly stove. We control it’s with Nest and it does save us money.  

Answer 3

This is different for every household. Buy a kill-a-watt and start measuring appliance consumption.  

Answer 4

With a few exceptions, you'll never save money with smart home products. The small amount you'll save on energy consumption will never make up for the up front costs. Focus on conviencce instead.  

Answer 5

I'm a CyberSecurity professional by trade so my priorities are likely very different than yours. I'm all about security devices first, then the glitz and glamor. So, exterior lighting and cameras are where I start.  

Comments

Yeah that will comb later for me :) was thinking about a ring doorbell camera or maybe some cameras on our porch

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But first stuff for convenience :D

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The porch is a great place to start your new addiction.  You can also throw up some cheap WiFi light bulbs ( or more expensive z-wave bulbs) into your porch lights. They can work with your cameras motion detection and turn on. That will ensure that your camera records in color, and at its best resolution.  

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Well for the porch probably cheap stuff, indoors most likely lifx as i dont need any hub with them unlike philips. only want to need 1 hub

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For convenient products, I have enjoyed things like SmartDry. Awesome humidity sensor for your laundry dryer. Also smart switches in the master bedroom to control fans and lights. Switchbot curtain opener is pretty convenient as well. That's the fun of smart homes, it's your home and you get to make it do whatever you prefer!  

Answer 6

Check your utility company. In my area our utility company even has a store to get energy saving devices and gives you rebates for many of them. Our Ecobee has already paid for itself.  
https://amerenmissouristore.com/

Answer 7

Here is what we recommend for SmartThings users -  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAE...dJowA