Smart Home Plumbing & HVAC

As we enter 2018 and reflect on the previous year, there are many crazy things that rush into our minds, but for me as it relates to our homes, nothing stands out more than IoT (internet of things), and the increasing amount of smart technology in our homes. In fact, 2017 was predicted to see a 33% increase in the sale of smart home technologies and research shows that more than 41% of Americans now have some form of smart home technology working for them in their homes (State of the Market: Connected Home 2017, 2017). With the ever-increasing marketing surrounding these products it can be difficult to know which ones are the most important, and which ones can save you time, money, and headaches.

The current big sellers in smart home devices are smart home appliances such as vacuums and refrigerators, followed by thermostats, then security. All of these are helpful options; however, we would like to focus specifically on what we at Progressive know best, and what we believe can be the biggest saver and insurance for your home.

Smart HVAC and plumbing technologies

Smart thermostats now account for 16% of smart tech sales (Goovaerts, 2017). It has been shown that upgrading from a traditional thermostat to a smart thermostat can help increase your efficiency savings by 10-12% savings on heating and 15% savings on cooling, or about $131-145 in savings a year (Grant, 2016). Additionally, if you have an HVAC system that is more than 10 years old, if you upgrade to a new, properly installed, high-efficiency HVAC system you can see an additional total savings increase of 20% (Energy Savings at home – When is it time to replace?, n.d.). The savings are quite impressive and if you have been putting off replacing your HVAC system now maybe the time to take advantage of the new increases in efficiency available. Additionally, customers who are utilizing these smart and efficient systems and are duke energy customers, are also getting the added benefits of rebates with Duke Energy’s Smart Saver programs. Visit their website to see if your home qualifies to start saving money today!

Many of us are familiar with the benefits of using a smart thermostat, but another interesting new smart home option to recently gain traction is smart water main shutoff valves. Although these do not offer direct savings from an efficiency standpoint, they to offer a comforting protection from emergency water loss situations. A leaking dishwasher, washing machine, or hot-water heater can cost you thousands in repairs and become a major headache. These new shutoff valves feature remote sensors that can be placed in high risk areas throughout the house. These remote sensors communicate back to a module that sits on your water main and will close it immediately if a sensor detects moisture. Whether it’s an upgrade to a vacation home or a safety net for your primary residence, these systems pay for themselves in peace of mind and protection. Additionally, as this technology gains more public attention, some companies are now starting to offer homeowners insurance discounts for customers who are utilizing these technologies.

The excitement for technology continues as every year we see new innovative advancements in products and services that are designed to improve our lives by adding protection and increasing ease of use as well as efficiency. If you are interested in finding out how we can help to add convenience and protection to your home, feel free to give our smart home sales rep a call and we can answer any questions and provide you with an estimate for a smart home upgrade today!

References

Energy Savings at home – When is it time to replace? (n.d.). Retrieved from Energy Star: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=heat_cool.pr_checklist_consumers

Goovaerts, D. (2017, May 05). More Than 40 Percent of Americans Have Adopted Smart Home Tech. What’s Stopping the Rest? Retrieved from Wireless.com: com/data-focus/2017/05/more-40-percent-americans-have-adopted-smart-home-tech-whats-stopping-rest

Grant, M. (2016, August 27). How much money can you save with a smart thermostat? Retrieved from Smartthermostatguide.com: https://smartthermostatguide.com/how-and-how-much-money-you-can-save-with-a-smart-thermostat/

State of the Market: Connected Home 2017. (2017, August 01). Retrieved from State of the Market: State of the Market: Connected Home 2017

Your 3 most common questions – answered!

Got a question? You aren’t alone! We get asked lot of the same questions from customers and are sharing the answers here to help you stay proactive with your home maintenance. If we don’t answer it here, though, please call us and we are happy to help

1. What’s wrong with my water heater?

This is a multi-pronged question since there could be several reasons your water heater isn’t working properly. What have you noticed lately? Based on the most commonly occurring symptoms we’ll help you asses the problem.

• I’m not getting enough hot water.
  • Don’t panic — more often than not, this can be remedied with a quick tweak to your temperature settings. Try turning up the temperature slightly and allow 24 hours for it to adjust. Don’t turn it up too high, though, as you will risk releasing water at a dangerous temperature. It’s best to keep it set at 120 degrees fahrenheit.
• I’m not getting any hot water.
  • Chances are, this is being caused by one of two things: a faulty pilot control valve or a faulty thermocouple. While these aren’t major repairs, we recommend calling a trained plumbing professional to take care of them.
• My water smells like rotten eggs.
  • Somehow a trace of bacteria may have entered into your tank. While we recommend calling us to flush the tank out, with a strong level of comfort and the help of a step-by-step guide, you could fix it yourself. Please call us if you need assistance.
• My water heater is making strange sounds
  • Do you hear popping, cracking or rumbling? There may be some built up mineral deposits in your heater. A periodic flush can fix this, but if you continue to hear these sounds, it may be time for a new heater.
• There’s water puddling up around my tank
  • Your tank is most likely leaking and this is an issue you don’t want to mess around with. Call us at the first sign of a leak. We are available around the clock 24/7.

2. Why are my shower drains always clogged?

As many of you could guess, hair is the most common culprit of a clogged drain. When showering, try your best to clean out the drain grate every day to prevent the loose hair from slipping down it. If you are struggling with a stubborn clog, we offer hydro-jetting, video inspection and rooter services that are sure to get the job done.

3. How can I save on my energy bill?

With winter right around the corner, there are several ways to keep your costs down even during the coldest months. The first tip we recommend is staying on track with routine HVAC maintenance and checkups. If your system isn’t performing efficiently, we can offer a solution to save you money in the long run.

Other quick tips:

• Turn down your home’s temperature when you leave. Why spend money on heating a home you aren’t even in to enjoy? If your thermostat allows for scheduling, time your system to heat appropriately throughout the day based on when you are home.
• Keep your filters clean and fresh. When dirt builds up in the filter, it makes it difficult for warm air to flow into your home and your system has to work even harder than usual.
• Although this may sound counter intuitive, run your ceiling fans clockwise during the winter. Since warm air rises, you will be able to circulate the air that’s already been heated back down to ground level. If you can’t find the switch on your fan, just give us a call.

Have another question we didn’t answer? Give us a call – we’re happy to help! Call 919-325-0180 for around the clock emergency service or to discuss any issues.