Save the Environment (and Serious Money)

---

      Key Takeaways: 

• Understanding the financial impact that small changes can make.
• How to reduce your energy consumption with smart plugs. 
• Why using smart features is a smart way to save money. 
• The impact of adjusting your water heater settings. 
• Why planting trees will help your savings grow.

---

Small Changes Can Make a Big Impact

Making a small change that helps save the environment, and also saves you money, seems like a win/win situation. But how much money can you actually save by making just a few simple changes to your at-home habits? 

Most homeowners believe that once they switch to LEDs, there isn’t much more they can do to save money on their utility bill each month. The truth is, there are a number of small changes that you can make to your home that add up, year after year. And the best news is, these changes will not only save you money, but they will add more comfort and convenience to your life, not to mention, you will be doing your part in helping improve the environment.     

---

Save Energy with Smart Plugs

Smart plugs are one of the latest additions to smart technology that are super simple to use and intuitively make sense. 

Smart plugs are basically a middleman between your appliance and the outlet. All you have to do is plug your smart plug into an outlet, plug your lamp, TV, or whatever appliance it is that is costing you energy, into the smart plug, and voilà, you can now control that appliance from your phone!

Smart plugs turn a simple appliance into a smart one. For example, you can plug a heating blanket, decorative lights, or anything that has a simple on/off function and schedule it to turn on at a certain time. You can even use your voice assistance to turn it on by just saying the word! The ability to schedule your appliances to turn on and off at set times can also help you save money on your electric bill each month. 

• Scheduling appliances, like a coffee maker, to turn on, can bring additional convenience to your life
• Scheduling appliances to turn off, can help you cut back on energy consumption 

Vampires, Phantoms…and Smart Plugs? Oh My…

There are a long list of common appliances that, when plugged into a standard outlet, use electricity even when they are turned off! These are called phantom load electrical appliances, or vampire appliances, and if you thought ghosts and vampires weren’t real, just wait until you find out how many of these phantom load appliances are in your own home. 

Common phantom load appliances include televisions, computer monitors, musical instruments, printers, and yes, your electric toothbrush. Even a laptop that is left on the charger can use 50 watts of power! Of course, when appliances are being charged constantly during the day, you are paying for that energy and power. 

The good news is that the problem of phantom power can be solved by (you guessed it!) the smart plug. With a smart plug, you can make sure your appliances are using energy only while in use. Not only is this an inexpensive fix, but using them to solve phantom power can save you a great deal of money each year.

---

Become A Fan of the Ceiling Fan

Air conditioners are usually the main culprit of a high energy bill.  

All ceiling fans are different, but the average cost to operate your fan is typically less than 1 cent per hour. Installing a ceiling fan is a simple way to save money and cool off during the hotter seasons at the same time. Air conditioners are loud, and can negatively affect the air quality in your home. Fans, on the other hand, are soothing, and if you open a window with your fan turned on, you can circulate clean, fresh air throughout your entire home. 

---

And for added comfort, the Deako Simple Ceiling Fan Controller can make using your new ceiling fan more comfortable and convenient.  

---

Adjust Your Water Heater

Don’t worry, you won’t have to sacrifice your hot baths to implement energy-saving measures. Most homeowners don’t even want to touch their water heater’s thermostat because they think it will dramatically impact their shower settings. What most homeowners don’t know is that water heaters are usually set at a temperature of 140°F, which is far hotter than any shower anyone enjoys taking. The average preferred shower temperature is 105°F. If you want to keep your hot showers, we suggest you set your water heater at around 120°F. And how much better will that hot shower feel once you know about the amount you can save each month!    

---

Implementing Smart Features

If you already have smart lighting in your home, then you’re already ahead of the curve. But if you haven’t made the switch, you may be ready after you learn about how smart lighting actually pays for itself with the savings it brings to your power bill. 

But it’s not just the smart switches themselves that rescue energy consumption—it’s all in the features. Using smart features such as scheduling your lights to turn off automatically at night, adjusting your light’s brightness by dimming your lights, or setting timers for your lights to turn off after a certain amount of time, can pay off big time. 

How often do you leave your front porch lights on, long after the sun’s come up? How many times have you left a few sneaky lights on after you’ve left the house to go to dinner with the family? How many times have you left your lights on for a day or two, because you left your cat home alone while you’re visiting relatives? These are just a few examples, but the truth is, none of us are perfect at conserving electricity, but if you have smart lighting, you can leave saving energy up to the switch. 

And if you’re not a fan of smart lighting, using a motion sensor can be a great alternative. With a motion sensor, you simply have to go about your daily routine to save money. You won’t ever have to think twice about leaving your lights on. 

---

Deako Smart Dimmer 

Deako Smart Switch

Deako Simple Motion Sensor Switch

---

Money May Not Grow On Trees, But… 

Planting some trees in your back and front yard is a planet-friendly way to make your new house feel like the home you want to spend the rest of your life in. Trees add character, bring wildlife like birds into your yard, and offer cool, natural shade for your home. 

Here are some tips to help you decide where you want to place your trees: 

• Trees planted on the east side of your house will shade your home during morning hours
• Trees planted on the south side of your home will keep your house cool during the early afternoon
• Trees planted on the west side of your home will block the sun during the hottest hours of the day in the mid to late afternoon 

Planting trees also makes a significant impact on improving our climate. The Crowther Lab, in Switzerland, claims that planting billions of trees could remove two-thirds of the carbon dioxide created by humans. This sounds like a lot of trees, and certainly a lot of planting, but if every home in the United States planted just one tree, that would already be over 122 million trees. 

---

It’s Time to Add Up the Change

Just think about it, if these small changes can make an impact in your own household, imagine how much the environment can benefit if we all made these minimal adjustments. It’s easy to dismiss the long-term benefits of small changes. But the truth is, whether we are talking about changes we make in our lives, or the change in our pocket, change adds up. 

---

If you are ready to implement these simple changes in your own home, invest in the right products. Many don’t realize that Deako switches can end up paying for themselves in no time, if used in the manner that we discussed. Not to mention, Deako switches have a long lifespan, so you can pocket all of your savings for years to come! There are many reasons why Deako switches are a great investment, but the amount they can help you save each year makes, making the switch, a no-brainer. Here are the links to the Deako products featured in this article. And yes, they cost far less than the amount they can save you each year! 

Deako Smart Plug
Deako Smart Dimmer
Deako Simple Ceiling Fan Controller

---