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Home Wiz Guy

THE OPTIMAL HVAC TEMPERATURES TO SAVE THE MOST ON YOUR POWER BILL

When stifling summer or frigid winter temperatures set in, homeowners have a tendency to reach for the thermostat and crank it up or down in order to stay comfortable. A few weeks later, they discover that their energy bill has skyrocketed and wonder why it drastically increased.

The equation is simple; the more your indoor temperatures differ from the temperature outside, the more expensive your utilities will be. It can be difficult to find a temperature range that keeps your house cozy without raising your expenses, but fortunately, the US Department of Energy has identified some of the optimal energy-saving temperatures for your home. Additionally, we’ve outlined some tips and alternatives to heating and cooling that will make things more comfortable during the extreme seasons, without raising your bills.

#1 USE BEDTIME AND NIGHTS OUT OF THE HOUSE TO CONSERVE ENERGY

When your family is asleep or away from the house, you don’t need the HVAC system to run at maximum capacity. Even though you might enjoy coming home to a pre-heated or -cooled home, you’ll save a lot of money by giving your heating and cooling system a break while you aren’t there. In fact, by raising your indoor temperature just 7 to 10 degrees when you leave the house for a few hours, you will be able to save up to 10% on your cooling bill.

According to a study by the National Institute of Health, the body experiences more restful sleep at night when it reaches thermoneutrality — a state of thermal balance between the person and their environment. In order to achieve this state, the surrounding nighttime environment should rest at 86 degrees with minimal clothing and bedding, or 60 to 66 degrees with pajamas and light covers. So, one way to get a good night of sleep and save on energy during the summer is to raise the thermostat to a warm temperature of, say, 80 degrees, dress in lighter pajamas and cover yourself with a sheet. If this is too toasty, use the soft breeze of a fan to lull yourself to sleep. In the winter, bundle up and turn the thermostat down.

#2 INVEST IN A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT AND ADJUST IT TO SUIT YOUR SCHEDULE

If you don’t want to manually turn off the thermostat every time you go out for the day or retire to bed, you might consider investing in a programmable thermostat like Nest’s learning thermostat. This saves running the system while you aren’t there, but you also don’t return home or wake up to a stuffy or chilly house. The thermostat will have begun to warm or cool the environment shortly before you arrived, or just before your wake-up time.

As you program your thermostat temperatures for your at-home time, keep the US Department of Energy’s seasonal recommendations for resting temperatures in mind. When you’re at home in the summer, they recommend staying at 78 degrees. This might seem like an uncomfortable indoor temperature for the summer, but it actually prevents heat from flowing into your home as quickly and reduces the energy required to cool things down when you do decide to lower the thermostat. In the winter, 68 is a good temperature to stay at when you’re at home, but you can lower it slightly when you plan to be away from home — just make sure to keep it above 55 degrees to keep your pipes from freezing.

#3 EXPERIMENT WITH THE THERMOSTAT TO DETERMINE WHICH TEMPERATURES YOUR FAMILY CAN COMFORTABLY TOLERATE

If you are concerned about your growing energy bills, it’s time to experiment. See how much you can wean your family off of the HVAC system by turning the temperature up or down by just a couple of degrees each day over the course of a few days until it reaches the energy-saving temperatures recommended by the US Department of Energy. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers has stated that people are most comfortable between 73 and 79 degrees in light clothing. Your family may not even notice a 4-degree temperature change if it occurs within this range.

Once you reach a temperature that your family reacts negatively to, however, you’ll know you’ve found your limits. Stay just above or below that temperature from there on out to save on power.

#4 CALCULATE THE COSTS OF YOUR PREFERRED TEMPERATURES AND MAKE INFORMED CHANGES

Before you settle on a summer or winter temperature for your home, consider this: for every degree you raise or lower the thermostat, you are either raising or lowering your HVAC power costs by 3 to 5%. For example, if you keep indoor temperatures at 71 during the summer and your current bill averages $150, raise the thermostat just 4 degrees and you could save up to 30 dollars on the next bill.

While this might not sound like much, the savings add up over time to a substantial amount of money. If the savings aren’t worth it to you, having this information will at least help you feel more in control of your HVAC bills and allow you to make more informed decisions about your heating and cooling usage.

#5 FIND OTHER WAYS TO STAY COMFORTABLE

When you’ve decided to cut back on HVAC costs, it’s time to find new ways to stay comfortable in the heat or the cold that won’t make you suffer and won’t cost you anything at all. Here are some top tips:

Summer:

  • Make use of fans
  • Use a dehumidifier to cool the house
  • Wear lightweight clothing
  • Keep blinds closed during the day
  • Make sure all weatherstripping seals properly
  • Eat a chilled treat
  • Stay hydrated
Winter:

  • Dress in layers, wear socks, and use blankets
  • Cover hard floor surfaces with rugs
  • Seal all cracks in windows and doors
  • Keep curtains and doors closed
  • Cook with the stove and the oven
  • Spend time upstairs — the destination for rising heat
  • Drink warm beverages
Shout out

Here are some highly trusted companies who are very popular for providing standard HVAC service in their local area. So if you are in their service area then you can get their services.

Home Wiz Guy Posted on August 7th, 2021

THE WORST BATHROOM REMODELING MISTAKES YOU CAN POSSIBLY MAKE

I’m currently in the midst of designing several bathroom remodels and multiple bathrooms in new build homes, so I have had bathroom design constantly on my mind lately. Bathrooms are one of my specialties and really how I got my start in Interior Design (along with kitchen design), so I’ve been collecting bathroom inspirations photos for years now.

After studying thousands of bathroom photos and designing dozens over the past ten years, I’ve learned that not all bathroom design is created equal.

I’ll be honest, in my early days as a designer, I probably made all of the mistakes listed below. But, every job teaches me something new, and I never repeat those missteps again. If you’re getting ready to remodel or design a bathroom, make sure that you or your designer avoids these critical bathroom remodeling mistakes.

# 1 YOU HAVE TO GET WET TO TURN ON THE SHOWER

This list isn’t necessarily ranked in order; however, positioning the shower so you have no choice but to get drenched in freezing cold water every morning has to be the worst bathroom design mistake you can make.

For some reason, people became convinced that the shower controls – the on/off and temperature valves – need to be located directly under the shower head. But, often the shower head is at the far end of the shower from the door, meaning you can’t reach the controls unless you step into the shower.

I have seen showers where the client keeps the shower head pointed towards the wall while they turn on the water. This doesn’t really seem like an optimal user experience for someone’s dream bathroom.

The worst shower layout is one in which you have to get into the shower and also close the door to turn on the shower so there’s no escape. Terrible! I’ve definitely encountered this setup in hotels, and it totally sucks.

So, how do you avoid this happening to you? Look at the plans for your bathroom and picture yourself opening the door and reaching for the controls. Can you easily access them without stepping into the shower and under the shower head?

REMEMBER, A SHOWER DOOR SWINGS BOTH WAYS SO AS LONG AS YOU CAN OPEN IT ONE WAY AND REACH YOUR CONTROLS, IT WORKS.

If you can’t, then another revision is definitely in order. You can usually fix the issue by moving either the controls or the door.

# 2 POOR OR BAD VANITY LIGHTING

Vanity lighting design definitely deserves its own post, and I am planning to publish one soon. My biggest pet peeve with many Insta-famous or HGTV-trendy bathrooms is the lighting design at the vanities.

If you have a smaller vanity (42″ or less), then often (but not always) your only solution is to place the vanity light over the mirror. However, for larger vanities, I think it’s a mistake to sacrifice optimal lighting for a cool look or fancy decorative mirror.

Spacing vanity lighting so that it feels balanced and proportional with the mirrors and the cabinetry is a fine art. I agonize over it on every single bathroom project I design. My priority is always to provide a sconce on each side of the mirror with the bulb height between 60″ and 66″. When combined with a recessed can over the sink, the three light sources diffuse hard shadows.

If you’ve ever looked at yourself in a bathroom mirror and thought you aged 10 years, look up. I bet the light source is a downward facing sconce centered over the mirror.

#3 NOT PLANNING STORAGE APPROPRIATELY

So often I see photos of beautiful bathrooms with absolutely terrible storage, especially in master bathrooms. The furniture style vanities can look really pretty but are they totally practical?

It’s so important to seriously consider everything you need to store in your bathroom both for the things you use every day in your beauty and hygiene routine as well as linens and other supplies like toilet paper. Once you understand everything you use on a daily basis, then think about the best way to store it. Do you have serums, moisturizers, makeup, etc. that needs to remain vertical? How tall are the products you use? How long and wide are your hair brushes?

I like to incorporate a variety of drawer depths whenever possible as well as cabinets with doors. The sink cabinet can be a great place for hiding the wastebasket. I also keep tall products like hairspray on a lazy susan from the Container Store under my sink.

I know medicine cabinets aren’t as sexy as a gorgeous decorative mirror, but they are ridiculously practical in smaller bathrooms. In the vintage style bathroom above, we only had room for a single 48″ freestanding vanity, so we maxed out storage for small toiletries by adding this polished nickel medicine cabinet from Restoration Hardware. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve used this exact medicine cabinet because it’s very handsome, generously sized, and comes with an integrated light and electrical outlet. No more razor or electric toothbrush sitting on the counter!

#4 NOT INCLUDING A HAND SHOWER

Maybe you do your own cleaning and maybe you don’t. Either way, someone is going to be cleaning your gargantuan walk-shower at least every couple weeks. If you don’t include a hand-shower, then the only way they’ll be able to rinse down the shower walls is with a bucket. And, that’s really just mean.

I love my hand shower for both cleaning and for rinsing my hair. If you set it up correctly, you can run your main showerhead and your hand shower at the same time. It’s a more affordable version of body jets, especially if you mount the hand shower on an adjustable wall bar, which I highly recommend.

#5 TRYING TO CHEAP OUT ON PLUMBING FIXTURES

During my very first interior design related job – at the Great Indoors in Chandler, Arizona, 14 years ago – a very nice plumbing salesman educated me on the evils of cheap plumbing. He told me that cheap plumbing fixtures from big box stores or discount outlets are often made with cheap plastic parts that break instead of metal.

Fast forward ten years. I was freshening up the hall bathroom in our last house and bought an inexpensive version of a name brand faucet at a big box hardware store even though I warn my clients against this very thing. When we couldn’t figure out how to install it ourselves, we had to call a plumber. After two hours, he informed me he needed to go out and buy all new parts for the inside of the faucet because it was "cheap plastic junk." So that $90 faucet ended up costing over $300.

I specify all plumbing for my projects through my sales representative at the local plumbing supply companies. They know their product inside out. They know all the parts and pieces that need to be included like valves, and wall elbows, and escutcheon for hand showers. And, they stand behind the product and help you when something goes wrong or needs replacing. They are completely invaluable members of my team.

Shout out

Here are some highly trusted companies who are very popular for providing standard remodeling service in their local area. So if you are in their service area then you can get their services.

Home Wiz Guy Posted on August 5th, 2021

The Future is Here: Your Guide to the Smart Home Ecosystem

Automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) has had a major impact on home security in the last 10 years. Technologies like smart lights, smart locks and video surveillance have become more common in homes, providing users with increased security and more convenient lifestyles.

According to a 2015 report from Coldwell Banker, more than one in four adults (28 percent) have smart products in their homes. Of those users, 72 percent say these devices provide them with "peace of mind when it comes to security."

But, it’s not just about security. Convenience is also a major factor in the widespread adoption of smart home technology. In fact, 87 percent of people who own these devices say it makes life easier, while 57 percent say having these products in their houses saves them about 30 minutes per day—that's 182.5 hours a year.

While the benefits of home automation are clear, a connected home isn’t truly a smart home without an integrated ecosystem. This page overviews all aspects of a smart home and the ecosystem behind it.

What is a Smart Device?

Before we dive into the smart home ecosystem, we need to understand the basics of home automation and what makes a device "smart."

A smart device is an electronic device connected to other gadgets through a wireless area network, like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. For a device to be categorized as a smart device, it must:

  1. Connect to a network.
  2. Have the ability to wirelessly communicate with other connected devices.
  3. Be configured to autonomously perform tasks (e.g. locking and unlocking doors).

Some common examples of smart home devices include:

  • Appliances
  • Cameras
  • Entertainment systems
  • Garage doors
  • Lights
  • Locks
  • Outlets
  • Thermostats

What is a Smart Home?

A smart home integrates all Internet-connected devices under a single network, allowing them to communicate with each other.

Smart homes use automation technology to manage household functions through a connected device, eliminating the need to perform manual controls like turning the lights on or off, arming your security system or locking your door. Tasks like this are performed in real time based on sensory data, preset schedules or a prompt from your device.

Smart Home Advantages

In addition to complete control over how your home operates, smart homes have several other advantages compared to conventional homes.

Convenience

The ability to centrally manage all your home devices is a major convenience. By using one app on a smartphone or tablet, users can perform countless functions through smart home devices. This allows for easy, trouble-free home management.

Safety

A burglary occurred every 22.6 seconds in the U.S. in 2017. With smart home equipment, such as smart locks or remote access to alarms, you can gain increased visibility into and notifications for who is coming and going at your home.

Peace of Mind

Many consumers invest in home automation technology for peace of mind. Thanks to smart cameras and other technologies, homeowners can check in on their properties while they’re away. A new mom or dad can check on their little one while they’re out, or a family can monitor their home while they are on vacation.

Remote Control

Controlling your home’s functions from a distance is a major benefit of a smart home system. Remote control lets you manage all functions of your smart home using a mobile phone, tablet or computer. This means you can lock/open doors, receive sensor activity alerts, stream video surveillance and so much more from anywhere.

Energy Savings

Depending on how you use your smart home technology, it’s possible to make your space more energy efficient, and therefore, to save money on your utility bills. For example, a smart thermostat gives you complete control over the heating and cooling in your home. Some even suggest the best energy efficient settings based on your temperature preferences and schedule. You can also program your lights to turn on and off automatically whenever you enter or leave the room.

Meet the Smart Home Ecosystem

A connected device that can’t participate as part of the smart home ecosystem isn’t smart; it’s simply linked to the Internet.

A smart home ecosystem is critical for a true smart home experience because it provides an easy and efficient way to manage all your connected devices from a central platform. It’s what unifies all your smart devices and allows them to communicate with one another. Without a smart home ecosystem, users have to manage all devices through separate apps, which inhibits one of the main purposes of a smart home: convenience.

A smart home ecosystem is an interconnected system where every device works together in harmony. Achieving a fully optimized and automated system on your own is no small task. There are three main components to a smart home ecosystem:

  1. Controller: The controller is the command center of your smart home ecosystem. It’s the piece that connects your individual devices and helps them communicate with one another. Controllers are typically tablets, control panels, smart speakers and wearable devices like smart watches.
  2. Cloud service: The cloud platform is what analyzes your command and tells your smart devices what to do. This is either a web-based platform or a Security App.
  3. Smart home devices: These are your connected gadgets like lights, locks and cameras.

How to Get Your Smart Home Ecosystem Started

There are countless smart home options, which can make the selection process overwhelming without the right guidance and support. Use the below tips when getting started with your smart home ecosystem.

1. Start with Research

To better navigate available offerings, familiarize yourself with words commonly used in the home automation industry. Knowing the language will help you understand available programs and select the right technologies and providers for your home.

In addition, research potential home automation devices to verify security and compatibility with other devices in your smart home ecosystem. As mentioned above, the best experience is being able to open a single app or use a single service to manage and control all of your smart gadgets at once.

2. Choose a Secure Home Automation Provider

Choose a provider that offers multiple smart home devices that can connect to your smart home ecosystem. Your provider can install the smart home and home security equipment that best suits your lifestyle, and be your consultant the next time you see new technology you want to introduce to the system. With the wide array of retailers offering similar solutions, a provider can help you find one that works in concert with your existing smart home ecosystem.

3. Secure Your Network Prior to Installation

Prior to home installation, ensure your home network and Wi-Fi are secure, as your devices rely on their safety and dependability. Secure your network with the following tips:

  • Create strong passwords: Change default passwords on all devices prior to use. Pick one that’s eight or more characters long and contains a mix of letters, numbers, symbols and capitalization types to make yours harder to crack.
  • Secure your router: Give your router a unique name and password protect it. Set your router settings to WPA2 (preferred) or WPA for stronger security. Do not connect your devices to unfamiliar networks.
  • Limit authorized devices: Select which devices (smartphones, computers, etc.) can access your smart home functionality, and then restrict others to prevent unauthorized usage.
  • Use firewalls and antivirus software: Any computer that connects to your smart home devices should be equipped with these precautions to guard against hackers, malicious code, viruses and malware. Access to your computers could allow someone to retrieve your smart home device passwords.

4. Professionally Install Your Smart Home Ecosystem

Although a DIY security solution may be affordable and convenient, it’s best to choose a professional home automation vendor to avoid issues with set up and integration.

5. Prioritize Security

As you search the Internet or consult with trusted friends and family, don’t compromise security for a cheap smart home fix. Prioritize quality safety standards first—even the most sophisticated or popular smart home ecosystems have been subject to hacking. The best way to avoid security issues is to work with a reputable provider that can install, monitor and update your system.

6. Remember Proper Maintenance and Upkeep

Once your smart home ecosystem is installed, conduct regular maintenance and proper upkeep. If you have your system professionally installed, have an expert check your smart home devices annually. In between checks, watch for red flags that devices are not working properly or are dated, such as:

  • Compatibility issues with other devices.
  • Devices that reboot or restart frequently on their own.
  • Equipment that does not support the latest software.
  • Rapid battery/power failure.

Take Control of Your Smart Home

There are numerous smart home devices, hubs and accessories on the market today.

Shout out

Here are some highly trusted companies who are very popular for providing standard service in their local area. So if you are in their service area then you can get their services.
Ranger American Home Security - Home Security Services in Dallas-Fort Worth

Home Wiz Guy Posted on August 5th, 2021