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Smart Home

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by bigpern23, Jan 21, 2015.

  1. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    Undergoing a rather large renovation to our home, my wife and I have decided to invest in some smart home products to increase the efficiency of our energy consumption. We've installed Nest Learning Thermostats and we're going to install GE LED Smart bulbs that work with the Wink Hub (which also works with many other third-party products).

    I sold my wife on the efficiency of the Nest Thermostats and GE lights, but truthfully, I love tech gadgets and think it's a cool way to save money on energy.

    We'll probably also install a motorized window blind that will be remotely controlled through the Wink Hub (and, thus, our smartphones) to cover a window we can't reach (my in-laws, who live next door, will be able to see right into our living room, meaning no hanky lanky on the couch unless I come up with a solution).

    I have an eye toward installing smart locks in the near future, and when we buy an air conditioning window unit in the next few months, it will probably be a smart device as well.

    Does anyone else have any experience with these kinds of gadgets? Any particular ones that you love or hate?
     
  2. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Jesus Christ. Your in-laws live right next door?
     
  3. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

  4. MisterCreosote

    MisterCreosote Well-Known Member

    I don't think I could afford any of that shit after the amount of money I spent actually buying our house.

    And, fuck next door. My mother-in-law is moving in WITH us soon. That ought to be a blast.
     
    bigpern23 likes this.
  5. JackReacher

    JackReacher Well-Known Member

    Oh, God!
     
  6. RecoveringJournalist

    RecoveringJournalist Well-Known Member

    I've heard of locks where you'll receive a text whenever someone uses it, which is great for working parents to know that they're kids got home. I think some may even take a picture and text that back to you.

    Shit is crazy these days.
     
  7. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    The Nest and the GE bulbs, in particular, will eventually pay for themselves. It's just the initial outlay that can be tough. I got a deal on the Nests (we have four zones) at $200 each, but it's going to take about 5 years for the savings to cover the costs. The GE bulbs have an annual energy cost of about $1.57 per year, compared to $5.18 per year for a 60W equivalent. So the $15 price tag will get offset in about 3 years (and the lights are supposed to last 22 years).

    I have to admit, when the electric bill comes and compares us to our neighbors, I get competitive. :D

    Fortunately, our financing covers all of this stuff, so it's not as painful as it would be if we were simply starting from scratch and trying to increase our automation and efficiency.
     
  8. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    As for the in-laws, having their summer home being right next door to us is advantageous in a lot of ways, not the least of which is that we got to live there until the renovation (which began in September) finishes up next week. It's made it easier to take care of questions and issues that have arisen during construction and saved us probably $10k in the cost of renting another home during construction.

    And, honestly, we could not have bought our house if they didn't own the house next door. They knew their neighbors well for more than 30 years, so when the previous owner passed away a few years ago, his will gave my wife right of first refusal on the home at less than market value. Sad the guy passed on, but we really benefited from it.

    I get along well with the in-laws, too, so it hasn't been an issue. My wife just has to be a little quieter during the summer when the windows are open. ;)
     
  9. spikechiquet

    spikechiquet Well-Known Member

    Oh come on! Be a man! Let her dad know what a stud of a SIL he has! LOL
     
    LongTimeListener and bigpern23 like this.
  10. Buck

    Buck Well-Known Member

    So with an $800 cost and an assumed discount rate of 10%, that's a net present value of $183.13.
    That's good.
     
  11. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    Sorry, Buck, I don't follow. What's the assumed discount rate of 10 percent?
     
  12. ChrisLong

    ChrisLong Well-Known Member

    Just a question, not a statement:
    How many times have you paid up front now for something that will save you money in the future, and actually reached the point where the purchase has become a money-saver?
     
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