Tips on using smart plugs to save on your energy bills

Smart or programmable plugs connect to the mains as normal and enable you to turn on and off electrical equipment that is linked to them remotely or automatically, like the heating, computers, the router, the water heater among others, enabling you to turn them on or off when you are not at home. They usually connect to a wifi network  and can be controlled through a mobile application or voice commands, if they are linked to virtual assistants.

How can we use smart plugs to control our energy consumption?

Smart or programmable plugs have many functions that can help to control your electricity consumption at home:

• Remotely:  Use your mobile phone or tablet to control your connected devices at home, like a remote control. All you need is an internet connection.

• Programme schedules: you can set specific timetables in each smart plug to turn the connected devices on or off. This function is also known as 'away mode', because if you are away from home for several days you can simulate being at home by turning the lights and TV on and off; besides optimising your electricity use while you are away.

• Connect to virtual assistants: a lot of smart or programmable plugs on the market today are compatible with virtual assistants, which provide a link between the connected devices at home and your voice, or with devices that can be used as consoles or controls, like mobile phones or tablets.

• Monitoring consumption: not only can smart plugs turn things on and off, they are also ideal for monitoring the energy consumption of the connected devices, to see how much electricity they use over a certain period and monitor the energy they consume with a view to optimising them.

• Automatic operation: they can be programmed to create situations in which various devices turn on or off at the same time in response to certain conditions, such as the time of day, or if they detect movement, among others.

What can we connect to smart plugs that can help us to save money?

As we already said, smart or programmable plugs have a range of attributes that help to regulate, control and automate  the electric devices used at home, but there are gadgets or devices we use every day that are more functional than others when used with this programmable tool:

• Lights: you can turn bulbs on and off remotely or by programming them, which can help you save energy by not leaving them on when you are away, and they can keep your home safe by simulating that there is someone at home when you go away for several days.

• Domestic appliances: these smart plugs are perfect for the coffee maker, toaster, kettle and other appliances because they let you turn them on in advance so that they can start work before you get to the kitchen or before you get up, to make your coffee, for example.

• Heaters, fans and air conditioning: programmable plugs are also useful for climate control. Like the coffee maker, heaters, fans and air-conditioning can be turned on remotely to cool or warm the house before you arrive, or you can turn them off after you have left.

• Chargers: you can connect the chargers for your phones, tablets or laptops, and programme them to avoid overcharging and reduce energy consumption when they are not being used.

• Television and gadgets for entertainment: from televisions to music players to video game consoles, you can control them remotely or programme them using these smart plugs.

• Christmas decorations: when December comes around, homes, offices and whole buildings get lit up, and the lights remain on for most of the night. To remember to turn them on or off, and to not have to think about doing it late at night, the best option is to connect them to a smart plug that turns them off automatically and can turn them on every day at the same time.

• Air purifiers and humidifiers: you can programme them by connecting them to a smart plug so that they only work when you are at home or at specific times of day.
• Exercise machines: you can control your and exercise sessions by setting a timetable for turning your treadmill, exercise bike and other training equipment on and off. It will help you to maintain discipline, optimise their use and safety, and also save on your electricity bill.
• Fish tanks and aquariums: you can regulate the light and control the filters of aquariums to maintain a healthy environment for your fish and to manage your equipment efficiently.
• Clocks and alarm clocks: you can configure your clock or desktop speaker to turn off automatically every day after waking you, and to disconnect or ignore your days off when you don’t need the alarm.

Apart from comfort, control and automation, using smart and programmable plugs with these domestic appliances will help you save on your domestic energy bills. They are also a first step in the world of economical home automation, for their low cost, to make your home a “smart” and environmentally friendly space.