This holiday season, think “smart” and consider giving a loved one (or yourself) a gift that keeps on giving. Many smart devices reduce home energy use, which can put a little more jingle in your pocket.

Consider these five energy-saving smart gadgets while shopping this holiday season:

• Smart thermostats learn users’ schedules and the temperatures they prefer to keep their home. It then remembers these temperatures while a home is occupied and adjusts to a more energy-saving setting when it’s not to avoid heating and cooling an empty home. Smart thermostats also feature apps that let family members change the temperature from anywhere in the world using a phone or other mobile device. Owners may also use the app to see how much energy is used and why, and then use that information to make appropriate adjustments to their home energy usage.
• Smart lighting saves energy in multiple ways. Smart lightbulbs last longer and use less power. Smart lighting systems also have scheduled timers and allow you to remotely turn the lights off (a great feature if you have loved ones who constantly leave the lights on).
• Virtual assistants, like Siri or Alexa, can connect to smart thermostats, smart lights, entertainment center devices, and others. With a few spoken words, virtual assistants can turn lights, appliances, and other devices off and on, activate and deactivate security systems, shut or open a garage door, and more. These home automation devices allow homeowners to control their appliances and create daily smart-home routines through smartphone apps, creating many new ways to save energy. For example, owners can schedule kitchen appliances, such as dishwashers and coffee makers, to run while they are out of the house or to operate at a specific time every day. 
• Thermal Leak Detectors use infrared sensors to detect energy-draining drafts so they can be repaired (filled) to make your home more energy-efficient. Thermal imaging accessories now exist for smartphones as well, converting them into lightweight, portable thermal leak detectors. Repairing thermal leaks in a home can save up to 20% in heating and cooling costs.  For more information about a home energy audit, contact us at 1-800-468-2176.
• Smart power strips and surge protectors are less expensive options to gain some smart technology without upgrading all appliances and devices to smart models. Smarter devices that can be used independently of an all-smart home, the strips can detect when a device is in standby mode and cut its power supply. Using smart power strips can reduce a home’s overall energy usage, which equates to savings on your energy bill.

For more information about energy-related smart home devices, contact our Member Services department at 1-800-468-2176. For more information about energy efficiency and safety around electricity, visit SafeElectricity.org.