According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), heating and cooling are the top two contributors to electricity consumption in the average American home. Power used for air conditioners — which are now in nearly 90 percent of homes — accounts for 19 percent of the overall total, and power used for heaters accounts for 12 percent.
The EIA’s figures serve as a valuable guide for homeowners seeking to improve their energy management. With heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) accounting for more than 30 percent of overall energy usage, any improvements in that area can have a sizable impact on efforts to reduce energy usage and the costs associated with it.
To help with those efforts, homeowners now have at their disposal a number of technology innovations focused on tracking and improving energy consumption. Many of those innovations leverage the network of tech tools known as the Internet of Things (IoT). By integrating IoT devices with HVAC components, homeowners can ensure those components are operating optimally, leading to an increase in efficiency and cost savings.
Understanding the IoT
IoT technology transforms normal devices into smart devices. By connecting those devices to home networks, which is often done wirelessly, a smart home is created in which data can be collected and exchanged. In many cases, that data can be used to automatically carry out actions that improve the home environment.
For example, a smart doorbell is a popular IoT device that increases a home’s accessibility and security. By connecting to home networks, smart doorbells allow homeowners to monitor visitors remotely, see them, and even communicate with them through mobile apps. When combined with other smart tech, such as smart locks or smart lighting, smart doorbells can become part of a comprehensive smart home security system supported primarily by IoT devices.
As IoT technology has evolved, the smart devices it empowers have become more capable of empowering homeowners. Artificial intelligence (AI) integrations are one of the more recent innovations transforming IoT devices. By automatically assessing the data collected by IoT devices, AI can drive predictive maintenance and other processes that make smart devices safer and more efficient.
Leveraging the IoT in HVAC devices
Smart thermostats are a prime example of how the IoT can improve HVAC performance, resulting in lower energy consumption and costs. While conventional thermostats simply allow homeowners to activate HVAC devices and set a target temperature, smart devices utilize features that improve users’ accessibility and control while also collecting data that can be used to ensure optimal performance.
Remote access is one of the more basic features smart thermostats provide. This can include voice activation to change the temperature setting from across the room or remote activation to change the setting from the car via a smartphone as a user approaches their home. Geofencing adds another level of convenience to smart thermostats, allowing users to automatically trigger predetermined changes to settings as they enter or leave their homes.
Scheduling is another efficiency feature of smart thermostats. By programming changes to occur automatically, homeowners can match optimal heating or cooling levels to their daily routines, such as reducing temperatures during times when the home is typically empty. Furthermore, smart thermostats can utilize AI to learn heating or cooling patterns and automatically create schedules that best suit the homeowner’s unique needs.
Using IoT monitors to optimize HVAC health
While devices like smart thermostats make heating and cooling more efficient and convenient, they ultimately rely on the healthy functioning of core HVAC components. When those components are not properly maintained, or mechanical issues develop, performance can falter, leading to increased energy consumption and costs. In some cases, undetected issues can lead to inconvenient — and costly — HVAC breakdowns.
IoT devices can also be utilized to ensure the healthy functioning of core components. One example of these devices is a sensor that monitors the temperature of the air flowing through HVAC system vents. Unlike thermostats, which determine the target temperature, these IoT monitors measure the actual temperature being produced to identify indications that the system is not performing as designed.
A wide range of issues can trigger a change in airflow temperature. A compressor performance issue or a refrigerant leak can cause warmer-than-normal temperatures by negatively impacting the capability of the cooling system, while clogged filters or ductwork can cause a similar problem by restricting airflow. IoT monitors designed to measure airflow and air temperature can detect all of these conditions, alerting homeowners before they become more severe and cause a system failure.
Sensors can also detect water in an HVAC system’s overflow pan when a condensate drain becomes clogged, or a refrigerant leak occurs, causing water to build up in the overflow pan. If not identified quickly, water accumulation can lead to damaging leaks and dangerous mold growth.
Enhancing contractor support with IoT connectivity
Due to the complexity of today’s advanced technology, many homeowners rely on contractors to maintain and support their HVAC systems. The use of sensors in modern HVAC systems provides those contractors with greater insight into issues, which translates into greater efficiency in the services they provide.
For example, IoT monitors tracking airflow levels and temperatures can provide data on those readings directly to contractors, who can then analyze the data and develop customized service schedules shaped by the homeowner’s unique usage, rather than relying on generalized schedules. As contractors shift to customized schedules, they eliminate the costs associated with unnecessary service calls while still ensuring systems are performing optimally.
With electricity prices on the rise, any effort to increase energy efficiency can translate to helpful savings for homeowners. When those efforts are focused on HVAC performance, the savings can be significant. IoT devices give homeowners a variety of ways to curb energy consumption and save money.
By: Andrew Parks, Director of Marketing for SmartAC.com, has over 20 years of experience in technology, oil and gas, construction, and consumer products industries, which has allowed him to bring a unique combination of technical, leadership, and strategic skills to his work. Prior to joining the team at SmartAC.com, Andrew was the Director of Innovation and Sales at Allied Outdoor Solutions, growing the sales team and overseeing customer-facing and strategic internal projects.
