Gadgets to save energy at home

The household energy is becoming more and more expensive: heating, electronic devices, light bulbs left on by mistake ... So, why not learn some tricks with these gadgets that optimize energy consumption while saving on your bills?

We tell you how to efficiently manage energy by taking advantage of the new technologies.

WeMO is a control system by Belkin company that allows us to turn on or off our electronic devices quickly and easily from our smartphone. We simply install the application and enable each Wemo Switch that we want to use. Each of these Wemo Switch connects with plugs and can manage its activity from the mobile phone.

Another handy gadget is the on and off detector by presence or PIR (Passive Infra Red). These artifacts include infrared motion detector and can be easily installed in lamps or bulbs or placed in a strategic location in the room on another sensor. The motion sensor is undoubtedly the best choice to ensure the lights won’t be turned on when no one is inside.

If PIR technology was already a breakthrough, this motion detector system is much more complete. The Energy Egg doesn’t just turn off the light when the sensor realizes that no one is in the room, but also turns off the other devices. How can this happen? First, devices are installed in sockets on each appliance, such as lamp and television. If we left the room without turning off any device and after a time previously set by us, the Energy Egg will disconnect these devices.

These chargers use solar energy to charge the batteries of all portable devices: mobile phones, mp3 players, tablets, laptops, e-books ... So they actually have a dual function: they are respectful towards the environment and allow us to save money as we don’t need an electrical outlet to plug the devices. They are also a guarantee for those who fear running out of battery when they don’t have an outlet near.

Electricity monitors are not a gadget itself, but its functionality justifies its inclusion in this list. These meters evaluate real-time consumption of household appliances: shows which appliances or devices generate more consumption and tells us how we can reduce spending depending on the use we make of each, saving between 10% and 15%.

Did you know that the standby function of electrical appliances consumes up to 14% when activated? This unnecessary expenditure can be completely eliminated with standby protectors. A gadegt like TrickleStar ensures that the residual consumption of these devices is zero thanks to its sensor, which checks if the device is not in use and cuts the flow of electricity even if the standby mode is on.

Something similar happens to the standby function with mobile phone chargers. When we plug them to fill in the battery we don’t usually notice when the charging cycle is completed and leave it several minutes or even hours connected to electricity. Fortunately, lithium batteries do not suffer overloads like the old nickel-cadmium ones, but the consumption of electricity, to a lesser extent, still occurs. Now, thanks to the gadget Leech Plug the charger cable will automatically drop from the plug when the mobile reaches 100% charge level.

A gadget that surely many have devised will finally become a reality after several years of development. We are talking about charging insoles, which allow users to charge batteries while walking. An insole that can be adapted to almost any type of footwear transforms energy generated by movement into charge compatible with portable devices such as mobile phones, tablets and e-books. Certainly the healthiest way to save money and protect the environment.

The thermostat is one of the first gadgets that boosted domestic savings. Technology has moved on and now the range of possibilities is much larger and offers many improvements. For example, Nest smart thermostats learns the preferences of the inhabitants of the house and detect if there are people or not to adjust energy expenditure. Its high price is offset in a few months of use because the savings will be evident from day one.

An efficient way to combine water consumption with energy consumption at home? Yes, it is possible with hydroelectric lamps. These devices use hydraulic energy to generate light through a glass molding which connects the water pipes of a house. This way, whenever the water moves in these pipes, turbines are activated and produce electric current.

One ideal complement for the cold winter days is the radiator booster. Sometimes, we notice that the heating does not warm up the room enough and we are tempted to turn up the heat with the consequent cost in the bill. However, with this simple gadget you can optimize its performance. We simply place it on top of the radiator, plug it in, and its bottom will begin to absorb the heat and then disperse thanks to a fan that will irradiate hot air to every corner of the room.

Sources: Belkin, Tecnoseguro, Koonsun, Efimarket, TrickleStar, FayerWayer, SolePower, Nest, El Correo, Hierve Diseñería, Energy Egg, Radiatorbooster and The Guardian.