Smart energy-saving tips for your home

(NC) Did you know that, according to Natural Resources Canada, 64 per cent of the average home’s energy goes into space heating? That statistic is hardly surprising with the winters we get here, but cooling is also a rising concern, with energy use from air conditioning (AC) during hot summers.

Here are a few tips for a smarter, more efficient home:

Take a fresh look at your insulation. Your AC and furnace work hard to adjust the temperature of the air throughout your home. Don’t let all that work—and energy—go to waste. Without proper insulation, the air in your home will equalize to the outside temperature just through contact with the walls and ceiling. Make sure you have a barrier to prevent this, so that your HVAC system only needs to make small adjustments to keep the temperature where you want it.

Eliminate wasteful airflow. Any draughts or breezes you feel inside are the air in your home leaking out, and the outside air leaking in to replace it. Use caulking and other sealants around every window and check your exterior walls for any potential gaps. Put weatherstripping around all your external-facing doors to keep air from flowing through the doorframe, and consider using it on internal doors, too. This can especially help in multi-story homes where cold air can sink to basement level, and warm air can overheat upstairs rooms.

Make some smart upgrades. Smart home technology has improved to the point where your home itself can help you manage your energy use. Smart home platforms like Samsung’s SmartThings can help you monitor and manage your devices’ energy usage, create customized energy-saving routines and give you tips to reduce your overall consumption. For instance, rather than trying to maintain one home temperature though the day, a connected thermostat can sense when you wake up or arrive back home and adjust the air when it's needed.

All it takes are some simple upgrades focused on efficiency to regain control of your energy use. Smart investment in insulation, weatherstripping and a responsive home environment will pay dividends in savings as well as convenience.

Learn more about how you can save energy at samsung.com/ca/smartthings.