High energy bills are stressful, and many homes waste more energy than people realize. A few simple changes can help you save a lot.
With Homey, you can automate your home to use less energy without giving up comfort. These smart tips help you save money while reducing your home’s energy footprint.
1. Heat your home only when you’re there
Heating your home when no one is there wastes energy. Homey can use your phone’s location to know when everyone is out. It can then turn down your smart radiator valves as soon as the last person leaves and warm the house back up just before someone returns. That way, you’re never heating an empty house.
2. Stop “phantom power” from draining your wallet
Many devices use “phantom power,” drawing electricity even on standby. Homey can help stop this waste. For example, connect your entertainment center and office gear to smart plugs and let a “Goodnight” Flow turn them off while you sleep. The same happens when you leave home, so you avoid this hidden energy drain.
3. Run your appliances when power is cheapest
With variable energy rates, appliances like dishwashers and washing machines can use a lot of power at the wrong time. Homey can connect to your energy provider, like Tibber, and run these appliances when electricity is cheapest. This way, you get clean dishes and clothes for less.
4. Use the sun to your advantage
Homey can control your smart blinds to make better use of sunlight. Let a Flow open the blinds in winter to use daylight for natural warmth, and close them on sunny summer days to keep rooms cool. With excess solar power, Homey can also turn on your A/C at the right time.
5. Make your “dumb” appliances smarter
You don’t need to buy all new smart appliances to save energy. For example, an old electric water heater often keeps water hot all day, which wastes energy. Connect it to a heavy-duty smart plug or DIN relay, and Homey can schedule heating before morning showers and in the evening. It stays off the rest of the time and uses less energy.
6. Light rooms only when they are in use
Leaving lights on in empty rooms wastes electricity. You can fix this by installing motion sensors in hallways, bathrooms, or storage rooms. Homey can then turn off the lights a few minutes after everyone leaves. This simple change saves energy over time without extra effort.
7. Control humidity for efficient comfort
Sometimes, it’s the humidity — not just the heat — that makes a room uncomfortable and makes you rely on air conditioning more. On humid days, Homey can turn on a dehumidifier to make the air feel cooler. This way, you can set your AC higher and still feel comfortable, using much less energy.
See your savings live in Homey Energy
To save more energy, it helps to see exactly where it’s being used. Homey Energy shows your home’s energy usage in real time. For the best data, you can add the Homey Energy Dongle to your P1 smart meter. This lets you see how your automations affect your usage right away and spot the biggest sources of unnecessary consumption, so you can find more ways to save.
Get started
Ready to turn these tips into real savings? With Homey, you can make your home smarter and more efficient for both you and the environment. These seven tips are just a starting point. Try Homey for free with Homey Cloud, or go all in with Homey Pro.
