
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) recommends checking out smart home devices to keep your home safe and reduce energy use.
“Convenience is touted as the biggest advantage of smart homes, when in fact many of these devices also help reduce energy use and enhance safety especially during the holidays,” said Marlene Santos, PG&E’s Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer.
Here are some ways smart home products can help enhance your home:
- Install smart thermostats, which allow you to change the thermostat remotely and modify heating schedules to save energy. Customers can also use room sensors, which connect to thermostats in order to set and maintain different temperatures in particular rooms. For a limited time, PG&E customers are eligible for up to $120 in rebates when they purchase an eligible smart thermostat model and sign up for a Time-of-Use rate plan.
- Control holiday lights with smart plugs that can be programed to turn on automatically based on the time of day, or set to follow a custom schedule. The smart plugs can be even be connected to a smart speaker to turn holiday cheer on and off with a simple voice command.
- Use a smart smoke alarm to decrease fire risk. Unlike a standard smoke alarm, a smart alarm will alert you even when you’re not home. Connected to other smart devices, some can even automatically turn off the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system in your home to prevent the spread of smoke.
- Upgrade to smart bulbs for the ability to control lighting from your phone or automate holiday lights.
PG&E offers rebates on qualified energy–efficient products and home improvements. Customers can also visit PG&E’s Marketplace, an online resource for customers shopping for energy–saving appliances and electronics.