As we recently blogged about, April was National Home Improvement Month (NHIM), with the campaign encouraging people to make just one change to their property, be it the installation of bi-folding doors, a quick paint job in your favourite room or the introduction of smart tech in some parts of the house.
When it comes to renovations and doing up the house, research carried out by National Home Improvement found that 57 per cent were concerned with DIY expenses and bills, which may well have deterred them from doing work on the house in the past.
But you could find your house takes on a whole new feel with the introduction of a bit of tech here and there – and the good news is that, if the cost is of paramount concern, smart devices don’t have to break the bank.
Not only that but investing in the right pieces of technology could actually help you save money by encouraging you to be more mindful about how and when you use energy. In-app tracking, for example, will help you to be more energy efficient so that you only use energy when you need it… thus reducing your bills, sometimes quite dramatically!
Julia Kendell, presenter, DIY expert and NHIM ambassador, had this to say: “Making home improvements can be addictive but it can also become overwhelming if there’s too much to do.
“That’s why the aim of National Home Improvement Month is simply to encourage people to make one small change to their home. Incorporating some smart technology can be an easy way to improve energy efficiency, reduce household bills and maximise security.”
Do you want a net zero energy home?
With all this talk of climate change and the impact we’re having on the planet, our one and only home, no doubt there are many of you out there keen to turn your house into a net zero energy property. This kind of building produces an amount of renewable energy equal to or more than the energy it uses up – and smart tech is essential to achieve this.
By installing motion sensors and automatic timers at home, you can ensure that your lights will only turn on when they’re required to, switching on and off not just when you leave the house but also when you move from room to room.
You’re also able to control your thermostat using smart tech to save energy and reduce expenses. All you need is your smartphone, voice-activated smart home hub or your PC and you can enjoy total control over the heating and cooling of your home.
As for water usage, you can control how much is used every time you do your laundry by using smart technology. Sprinkler systems are even available these days that can monitor how dry the ground outside is and how much rain your garden has received, sprinkling accordingly.
We’d love to hear if you’ve started adopting smart technology at home as yet and if it’s made a difference to your lives, so get in touch with us today.