Home Tech to Enhance Safety and Save Energy

What's the newest way to add energy efficiency and safety to your house? The answers might surprise you because some of the latest technology in this space is making its first appearance on the retail market. Other components, like sensor devices and wall outlet gizmos, are not new. But even these old-fashioned items have recently had major facelifts and are now part of the residential revolution. Here's a brief description of the top four technology products that homeowners are asking about when they shop for fresh design ideas:

Tankless Hot Water Systems

These new darlings of the energy industry are getting better every year. When they first came onto the market about a decade ago, they were priced too high for most consumers. Today, the on-demand water systems are not only price competitive but can handle much higher levels of usage than older models. What's the big plus for homeowners? In addition to lower utility bills, houses that use tankless systems never run low on hot water because it's created only when needed rather than stored in an over-size metal canister.

Smart Plugs

Wouldn't it be great if you could operate all your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and living room appliances via your smartphone, without having to install a complex hub system? Now, for less than $100, you can. Smart plugs are one of the most ingenious devices to land on retail shelves in years. Simply buy them, plug them into any outlet and use that outlet to connect your preferred appliance. After that, your smartphone becomes your control panel. From anywhere, homeowners can turn on lights, AC or heating units, alarms, dishwashers, cameras and anything they choose. Smart plugs are energy misers that allow vacationing families to check on the well-being of their house from any place on earth.

Home Elevators

Home elevators have been around for a long time but are becoming more widespread as designers, developers and consumers are becoming more aware of their ability to deliver safety and long-term value enhancement. Cool Canadian home elevators are no longer a rarity. Check out any new residential development and you're bound to see them. What's the big benefit of these sleek appliances? Besides making living quarters safer for people who can't climb stairs, they can add significant resale value to abodes of all sizes. Plus, elevators consume less energy in an average year than a standard coffee maker or dishwasher.

Learning Thermostats

We've all heard of smart thermostats by now. In fact, most offices already use them and you can purchase inexpensive units at any hardware store. But have you seen the latest versions? The so-called learning thermostats are like miniature robots that study your habits and then adapt heating and cooling systems to your unique usage patterns. They boast the potential to cut utility expenses by 25 percent in an average home.

Water Leak Sensors

Here's a good example of old technology put to a modern use. Basement water-leak sensors connected to smart-home hubs add an additional layer of protection for families who occasionally suffer flash flooding and water system breakdowns. The cost? About $12 per unit.