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From cozy nights in to socializing with friends and family, the living room is often the heart of the home Home. But your break room is also one of the hungriest rooms vitality. Between TVs, game consoles, lamps and heaters, bill Can get up quickly.
The good news is that making the areas where you spend the most time more vitality Being smart doesn’t mean spending money on expensive gadgets or completely overhauling your home. A few smart habits – and even smarter techniques – can make a surprisingly big difference in you billwithout affecting comfort.
How can smart home devices improve energy efficiency?
Energy intelligence is about identifying what factors are wasting energy and finding ways to save There are now a range of devices that make this easier than ever. What’s more, smart home devices are quick to install and don’t cost a fortune. These include smart plugs that stop your TV from running out of power when on standby, smart lighting that switches off when you leave a room, smart thermostats that adapt to your daily routine, and smart radiator valves that can be controlled from your phone.
Adding smart meters and providers like Octopus Energy helps households understand exactly how and when energy is used, and makes it easier to identify where savings can be made.
How can you make simple changes to improve your home’s energy efficiency?
Invest in smart thermostats and smart radiator valves
Although smart heating systems have become more technologically advanced in recent years, you can get more control over the warmth in your home without replacing your entire heating system.
A smart thermostat can be added to most existing heating systems for around £120 to £280. Popular options like those approved by Octopus Energy tado° smart thermostat An app gives you remote control and uses smart scheduling to keep track of your daily routine and remind you when you’re away – so you can turn down the heat and turn it back on when you return. It can even alert you when windows are open or heat is escaping. In addition to saving energy, a smart thermostat can help you find ways to reduce your bills without touching your boiler.
Pair a smart thermostat with a smart radiator valve (works with most standard radiators) and you can control the heat in each room individually. Priced at around £40 to £80 each, they help you ensure you’re only heating the space you actually use.
have a Octopus comfort heat pump Go one step further. Unlike traditional boilers, Heat pumps do not create heat from scratch. Instead, it extracts heat from the outdoor air and transfers it indoors, even in cold weather. Heat pumps are more energy efficient, helping to reduce energy bills and carbon emissions. Pairing it with a smart controller means the heat pump only works when and where you need it, keeping your living room comfortable without wasting energy.
Small changes bring big changes
Add smart lighting
Replacing old light bulbs with more economical LEDs is one of the easiest ways to save energy, saving up to 90%. Or take it a step further and opt for smart LED lights that automatically adjust to the light in the room – getting brighter when it’s dark and dimming when there’s plenty of daylight, helping you save energy without having to think about it. Purchasing lights that can be scheduled to turn off at specific times, or installing lights with motion sensors in spaces such as hallways or utility rooms, can also prevent lights from turning on unnecessarily.
Most smart lights come with their own apps or integrate seamlessly with voice assistants like Google Home, Alexa, or Apple HomeKit, allowing you to easily control them from the comfort of your couch. This is especially useful in open-plan spaces. By grouping lights, you can illuminate only the areas you’re actually using instead of lighting up the entire room.
Smart lighting also works closely with Octopus Energy’s smart electricity pricing. You can save money by shifting energy use away from peak hours, for example, by scheduling non-essential lighting, such as outdoor lights, to be turned off during the most expensive times.
How to save energy in your living room
Solving “Vampire Energy”
Your living room isn’t just filled with light; It’s also full of hidden energy consumers. TVs, game consoles, soundbars and laptops consume power when in standby mode. This is called “vampire energy,” and it quietly builds up over time. Actually, Energy Conservation Trust Fund Estimates In the UK, you can save up to £45 a year by unplugging.
Fortunately, there’s an easy fix. Smart plugs cost less than £10 and can automatically cut off power to devices when they are not in use. Like smart lights, they can be added to automation routines or controlled via a voice assistant so you don’t even have to think about it.
Create a smart routine
Smart Routines are essentially a to-do list for your home, allowing lights, heating, plugs and entertainment systems to work together to automatically turn on or off at the right time.
For example, you can set up a “leaving home” routine so that you turn off the lights, heat, TV, or console when you leave the house. Or, an “evening” routine might involve dimming the lights, adjusting the thermostat, and turning off appliances not in use to keep your living room comfortable without wasting energy.
It’s easy to set up. Choose a voice assistant, such as Google Home, Alexa, or Apple HomeKit, select the devices you want to control and decide what you want them to do. Once set up, these routines work quietly in the background, taking care of the small details.
Monitor your energy
With energy costs rising, knowledge is power, and one of the easiest ways to save energy is to understand how much energy you use and what you use so that you can change the way you behave. Real-time data lets you spot spikes in individual devices, such as a gaming console or an old refrigerator that’s quietly draining power.
Tools like the Octopus Energy app can give you a detailed breakdown of your spending and allow you to schedule heating and appliances for off-peak times. Combine it with the Octopus Home Mini, which gives you near-instant insights showing real-time energy data for your entire home.