Tech to help you save energy

Saving energy is about how you interact with your home, there are devices and products that can help ensure that your everyday is more energy efficient. Using less energy, saving time and potentially saving you money on your energy bills. Here is the Sero lowdown, of a few of our top tech picks…

Let there be light

LED Light bulbs

Pro’s

  • LEDs use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, often paying for the extra upfront cost through energy savings in just a couple of months.
  • These light bulbs last a lot longer than traditional bulbs, up to 25-30 years, depending on which ones you buy and how you use them.
  • They give out light almost instantly when you turn on the light switch, so you don’t have to put up with dim light as you would with traditional bulbs warming up.
  • They work fine in low temperatures.

Cons

  • Some people don’t like the quality of light given out by LED light bulbs
  • To dim LED lights, you might need to upgrade to a dimmer that recognises low electrical loads. The packaging should say whether LEDs are dimmable.
  • It’s tricky to get a consistent look in your home if you mix different LED brands and types. The colour temperature and colour rendering index (CRI) can vary more than with traditional light bulbs.
  • Cost. The initial spend is more than historic incandescent bulbs.

Cost: A relatively low-cost quick win.

Smart bulbs

Pro’s

  • You can control smart light bulbs while out of the house, which is handy if you accidentally leave a light on.
  • Many smart home hubs come with motion sensors – you can set them so that your smart bulbs turn on when they detect movement.Smart bulbs are made with existing lamps and light fixtures in mind and most come with Edison caps, bayonet caps or both.
  • As an extra layer of security, you can turn on your lights remotely to deter burglars.

Cons

  • If you’re looking to upgrade multiple ‘regular’ bulbs to smart alternatives, costs can ramp up.
  • You won’t be able to control your smart light bulbs remotely if you have wi-fi or mobile signal issues.
  • Bluetooth-only smart bulbs can’t be controlled beyond a certain distance.

Costs: An investment into a long-term win.

Getting Smart…

A Smart Meter

Pro’s

  • Automated half hourly readings of your energy consumption
  • Billed for only the energy you use
  • Access to more tariffs
  • Bringing the UK’s grid system into the 21st Century
  • In home display available to help track your own usage
  • Free to have and to be fitted by your energy provider

Cons

  • Advances in technology (as with everything) mean smart meters will continue to improve over time, which may lead to yours needing to be replaced after a number of years.

Cost: A free step toward knowledge is power!

A Smart Thermostat

Pro’s

  • Helps save you energy. Programmed correctly the design of these devices lets you monitor your usage and turn up or turn down the thermostat accordingly. Meaning your heating works with how you live and doesn’t waste energy heating an empty house.
  • Remote capability, connected to WIFI and an App you are able to control your home from anywhere (with internet access!)
  • Some have smart learning – it will look at your patterns of behaviour and learn to adapt the heating to meet these requirements over time.
  • Track your energy consumption, insights into your energy usage to help reduce it and save money.

Cons

  • Expense, they can be up to 3x more expensive than normal thermostats.

Cost: An investment into flexibility, time and knowledge is power.

Smart Plugs

Pro’s

  • Turn on and off devices on a timer – saving energy
  • Can connect to in-home virtual assistants like Alexa or Google Home, can be voice activated or controlled through an App, even away from the home
  • Some have built in energy monitoring so can tell you how much energy your device plugged in, is actually using, helping you understand where you energy goes

Cons

  • Some many options in the market means making a choice can be confusing
  • Ranging in price from £5 each to up to £40, means replacing plugs across your whole home would be an investment.

Cost: An investment into a long-term win.

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