If you wonder why your electric bill is high every month, the answer may lie with your electrical panel. If you are like most homeowners, you likely have an old and antiquated panel with basic switches and nothing more. This device just directs electricity to your circuits, and it does not provide any idea about usage. However, there’s a new kind of panel, called a smart electrical panel, which finally lets you see exactly what’s chewing up the most energy in your house so you can do something about it.
From Basic Box to Smart Energy Monitor
A smart electrical panel is a major upgrade because it contains features that you will not find in more basic models. A simple electrical panel can protect you from danger since circuit breakers will trip when there is a power overload, but the smart model will provide you with critical data via an app on your phone. Data may tell you that your electric water heater uses more electricity than everything else combined or that your old refrigerator uses a gigantic spike of energy during the afternoons. With this critical information, you can make informed choices that can help you save loads of money. For example, you can swap out these energy-draining appliances for those that are more efficient and that will use only a fraction of electricity.
Putting the Data to Work and Saving Cash
In addition to procuring new appliances, you can analyze the data to see when your household consumes the most energy. You can change usage habits, such as running energy-hungry appliances like the dishwasher or the clothes dryer during off-peak hours when rates are cheaper.
Another appealing feature is being able to control the power right down to the circuit. This makes it possible for you to shut certain circuits off during the day in areas of the home that are not occupied. Many smart panels allow you to create automated schedules. You can program a circuit to turn it off at 8:00 AM when the house empties out and then turn back on at 4:00 PM when people start coming home. This helps eliminate unnecessary standby power and further reduces energy costs.
Adding New Tech and Futureproofing Your Home
Upgrading to a smart panel makes it a whole lot easier to connect to other smart devices that give you even more control and increase energy savings. You can add solar panels and home battery storage to decrease your reliance on the grid, which will enable you to use the cheapest energy source at any given moment. In addition, if you have an electric vehicle, you can set the charger to juice up the battery late at night when rates are cheapest.
Investing in this technology now helps you get control over your energy budget while preparing your home for the technology of tomorrow, which is just smart. If you want to procure a smart electrical panel for your Santa Cruz, CA home, reach out to the team at Fisher Electric.
