Can we talk about that whole "smart home saves energy" idea?

I was SUPER skeptical when my buddy Tom kept pushing his smart thermostat. Like, how does turning the heat down on a schedule actually save that much? I finally caved and got a basic Nest last October. My December heating bill was $85 less than the same month the year before. Has anyone else seen real savings, or did I just get lucky with a mild winter?

2 comments

2 Comments

butler.shane6d ago

I think smart home gear mostly just makes you feel good rather than save real money.

abby_martin285d ago

@butler.shane I have to push back a little here. My ecobee thermostat alone cut my heating bill by about $80 last winter because I can set schedules and adjust it from my phone when I'm out. Same with smart plugs set on timers for my lights and coffee maker, those probably save me 10-15 bucks a month just by not leaving stuff on accidentally. The convenience part is real too, like being able to check if I left the garage door open from the post office. But a lot of the savings depends on actually using the features right, not just buying the gadget and forgetting about it. If you treat it like a toy, yeah you'll just feel good owning it.