Looking for ways to save money and make your rented home smart, too? You don’t have to own your home to reduce electricity bills with energy saving smart home products.
Renting a home brings certain advantages including flexibility, less commitment, and the option to move around without maintenance or repair bills. You may not want to install “permanent” energy efficient smart home products. Here is a list of some smart, energy saving devices to help lower your electric bill in a rental situation:
GE Enbrighten LED Motion Sensing Task Light, Battery (JAMSBx)
This inexpensive yet bright motion activated battery powered light delivers the output of a 40W incandescent bulb and uses only a fraction of the energy. It comes in Nickel or White and can be hung or placed on a flat surface with an optional fold-out stand. The portable indoor/outdoor light is perfect for your apartment, closet, office, patio or balcony, or even on the road.
Skylink Magic Tap Lighting Control Touch Dimmer With Remote (SKMT200)
Some landlords do not like their tenants to replace switches. The Magic Tap is an affordable and versatile option for incandescent and halogen bulb lamps. This touch dimmer device can be controlled with a remote and allows three ways to turn on/off and dim/brighten any plug-in lamp. The dimming option allows you to save electricity by using a small portion of energy as opposed to full brightness.
Aeotec Z-Wave Home Energy Meter Gen5 (AEZW095)
Sick and tired of not knowing how your electric bills gets so expensive? If you rent your house, you can easily track the house’s entire energy consumption with this Home Energy Meter. This device wires into your home’s electrical box and continuously reports live wattage and kWh with your Z-Wave controller. You will be able to monitor when you are using the most energy and adjust accordingly.
GoControl Battery-Powered Z-Wave Thermostat (LNGCTBZ48)
If your rental comes with central air conditioning and a manual thermostat, you have a huge opportunity to cut down your electric bill with a smart thermostat. By having a smart thermostat, you can set schedules to optimize running your AC/Heat during times when someone is at home. Also be ready to save about 10 percent on cooling costs when you upgrade to a Smart thermostat. Just be sure to save the traditional thermostat so you can easily reinstall it when your lease is up.
This GoControl Battery-Powered Z-Wave Thermostat is an example of a portable inexpensive smart thermostat perfect for renters. Once installed with your Z-Wave network you can control the thermostat from anywhere in the world!
GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus LED Light Bulb, Gen5 ( JA35931)
Now here is one of the best energy saving options. This light bulb is a perfect energy saving product, can be combined by using lighting schedules with your Z-Wave network and can save up to twenty percent on your power bill. This bulb only uses 9 Watts of power and outputs the same amount of brightness as a 60 Watt incandescent bulb.
Your electric bill is not as black and white as you think. As a renter, you still have control over your rental’s energy usage and smart home products can help! With a small investment in some smart home products you can start saving money in the long run while renting. The best thing is when your lease ends up you can move them with you to your next living space!
If you need help finding portable smart devices for your rental, we can help. Just call us toll-free at 800-266-8765 (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific, Monday – Friday) for free tech support and product advice. You can also email us at [email protected] or visit www.homecontrols.com.
