4 Must Have Home Gadgets
The thought of living like the Jetsons may not be as far fetched as we thought. Smart-home technology that allows you to have a connected high-tech house, even when you aren’t home, isn’t just cool–it’s going to help you save time, money and can be a steward for the environment. Here are our 4 must-have home gadgets that should be in your new Daybreak home.
Nest Thermostat
This thermostat automatically turns itself down when nobody’s home, it learns what temperature you like, shows you when you are saving money and it can be controlled from your phone or tablet. So making your home warm or cool when you want and not when you don’t just got a whole lot easier. You can shut things down when you go on vacation, and turn it back on from your smart phone as soon as you touch down at the airport.
Did you know that thermostats can account for half of your home’s energy cost? A programmed thermostat like Nest can save about 20% on your heating and cooling bill. Combine a Nest thermostat with Daybreak’s standard for building homes to Energy Star 3.0 standards and you’ll be putting money back in your pocket.
Skydrop Sprinker Control
As Utah’s population continues to increase the water supply is being stretched. According to Utah’s Division of Water Resources Conservation Program, Utah has a goal of reducing per capita water consumption by 25% by the year 2025. In order to reach that goal Utahns need to think smarter about water consumption especially in Summer months when Utah receives very little precipitation.
If you haven’t heard of the Skydrop Sprinkler Control, it may become your new best friend this Summer while watering your lawn. The Skydrop controller helps determine how much water your lawn actually needs. It connects to your home’s wifi system and stays in constant contact with a local weather server. This allows Skydrop to automatically adjust watering schedules based on the temperature outside and the amount of rainfall received. It calculates how much moisture your lawn loses each day and makes sure that your lawn stays green and healthy by only watering it the optimum amount. It works with your current sprinkler system, simply disconnect your current control box and connect up your new Skydrop controller. You can say goodbye to your current sprinkler system watering your lawn while it is raining, and to those crazy high water bills in the summer. Depending on the size of your yard, Skydrop may just pay for itself after a couple summers of use.
Belkin WeMo Insight Switch
When you are rushing to get out the door it is easy to forget to turn off appliances that shouldn’t be left on. The WeMo Insight Switch allows you to remotely turn off your electronic device or appliance. You can even set a schedule to control energy usage.
For devices with a switch, the WeMo Light Switch replaces standard light switches in your home. It even has the ability to respond to the sun, by allowing you to program your outside lights to turn on and off based upon the anticipated sunrise and sunset in your area.
Amphiro A1 Shower Meter
Do you ever wonder how many gallons of water you use while taking a shower each day? Incorporating the Amphiro A1, a self-powered energy and water meter, to your shower may help you be able to conserve 2,245 gallons of water every year. The device doesn’t require batteries and charges from the energy generated by water flow during your shower. The device registers real-time information on the water temperature and how much water is being consumed. Using hot water efficiently is a key to overall energy efficiency in your home.
Daybreak is founded on the knowledge that the decisions we make today will be felt by our children and their children. Incorporating smart-technology into your new Daybreak home is an important step in helping conserve the precious resources available to all of us, and will also help lower your monthly utility costs.
