Smart devices have a unique blend of attributes. They get real-time information from the internet, use artificial intelligence to learn about the inhabitants’ habits and are great at doing the math behind optimization. So it’s no mystery that nearly most successful rental owners have retrofitted their properties with smart home devices to save on utility costs.
These cost-effective and easy renovations have an enormous impact on your properties’ bottom line, and that’s especially true during summer months when air conditioning costs are at their highest. Keeping down air conditioning costs in older and less insulated properties is an even greater challenge, but using a smart thermostat with other smart devices will help you to take back control of your properties’ utility costs.
Smart Thermostats Optimize Automatically
Since the summer months are filled with near-constant air conditioning use, it’s no longer enough to just leave the thermostat at the economical 78 degrees and turn it off while you sleep. Instead, it is best to install a smart, connected thermostat that will take in real-time data about energy pricing, the weather and your habits to reduce your air conditioning costs. A 2015 study showed that a smart thermostat can save 15% on cooling costs each year—and that doesn’t take into account the additional 10 to 12% it saves on winter heating costs.
Smart thermostats automatically adjust your air conditioning to optimize peak hour usage and to best take advantage of the weather report. By proactively cooling the property, smart thermostats put less strain on your HVAC system by simply running it less. Adding to the benefits, smart thermostats are easily controlled from a mobile device. Your renters will enjoy the convenience, and the manager will enjoy being able to take care of the property between rentals without having to physically visit the property.
Smart Temperature Devices That Make All the Difference
When you pair a smart thermostat with other smart connected devices, you save even more on your annual cooling costs. The two most effective smart upgrades you can make to save money in the summer are installing smart window blinds and smart air vents. Yes, you read correctly—blinds and vents now come in smart internet-connected forms.
Smart blinds are an ingenious and elegant upgrade to your property that won’t stick out like some sci-fi addition. These kinds of blinds simply have motors and sensors built in. The blinds automatically shut closed when the sensors read that the windows are getting too hot. When you limit the amount of heat entering the building, you also limit the amount of time your air conditioning units needs to run during peak hours.
Smart air vents are similarly clever by using localized temperature data. Each vent knows the temperature in its room relative to all the other rooms in the property. As such, the vents can automatically open or close based on cooling needs. By diverting air from rooms that don’t need it to the rooms that do, smart vents reduce the amount of air needed to effectively cool, thereby decreasing the total amount of time that the air conditioning units need to be running.
Smart Devices Also Mean More Time for Managers
Those managing multiple properties in the summer months know how much effort is spent between renters just trying to save money on cooling costs. When guests leave, the manager needs to visit the property, close the blinds and turn off the air conditioner. Then, when new renters are on their way, the manager needs to turn the air conditioner back on and, in a separate trip, return to open the blinds.
Smart air conditioning devices eliminate all three of those trips, replacing them with the convenience of a smartphone app. Managers no longer need to physically visit the property to adjust window dressings or change temperature settings. In fact, a smart thermostat will itself calculate the best way to save money while no one is inside the property.
At PointCentral, we help to curate, build and install advanced smart home automation systems for your rental properties. These systems do more than just modernize your property, they also help you save money and time.
To learn about how your properties can benefit from the latest smart home technology, contact PointCentral for a free demo today.
