Smart home technology enables appliances and lights to be controlled automatically or remotely from a phone or other device. Homeowners with solar systems can employ smart home technology to manage and reduce their use of electricity. If a homeowner is billed for electricity using Time-of-Use (ToU) rates, a smart home system can help minimize electrical usage during peak rate hours.
How smart home technology works
A smart home system is a computer that connects to your appliances over wifi. The system than can manage the power usage of individual appliances. The system manages your power usage based on your choices. In some cases, the system can manage your power usage based on the information it receives from your utility company. Some utility companies provide incentives if you allow them to manage your power usage during high demand hours.
Control your home from anywhere
Smart home systems enable you to control lights and appliances from your phone. You can access your smart home system from just about anywhere. Leaving work on a hot day? Tell your smart home to turn on the AC so your home is cool when you arrive. Wondering if you left a light on? No problem! You can switch it off from your phone. You can even start the oven if there is a meal in it that’s ready to cook. A smart home system could be the next best thing to Rosie the Robot!
How to use smart home technology with solar power
Smart home systems that are designed to work with solar power can both monitor power usage and the power generated from your solar system. Using that information, the system can ensure that your home uses more of your solar power and sends less to the grid. This enables you to use less power from the grid overall, and use more of the power that you generate from your solar.
The smart system does this by learning what times your solar is going to be producing the most power. The system can then run appliances to use that power during that peak solar output period. Smart home systems even know what the weather is going to be so they can anticipate reduced power generation on cloudy or rainy days.
Smart home systems can work with home batteries too
If you have solar power and home batteries, a smart home system can help you get the most out of your batteries. The system will be able to determine the best times of day to charge your batteries. It will also be able to manage your power usage at night when you are running on your batteries. That power management can help you avoid using up too much power from your batteries and draining them prematurely.
Freedom Forever can help you go solar smarter
Freedom Forever is ready to help you get the smartest solar solution for your home. Our family of independent authorized dealers are experts on getting the most from solar in your area. We can help you with questions about home batteries and smart home systems. Best of all, our solar systems are backed by our 25-year performance guarantee.