Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Effective? Check. Affordable? Check. Energy efficient…?
While home security measures are valued according to their effectiveness and affordability, many homeowners and sellers neglect to consider how energy efficient their property might be – which can be damaging to our budgets and our planet.
But with certain types of technology and careful practices, we no longer have to sacrifice an ideal system for the sake of reduced energy consumption. When you’re next on the market for home security on a property you’re buying or selling, here are three considerations to keep in mind:
Know the right tech to use
While advancing technologies like 24/7 motion sensors and security cameras may seem wasteful, these are also far more energy efficient than they once were due to the implementation of features like coin cells and other energy-scavenging technologies. Wireless tech is an excellent and convenient route, since it requires less energy to run than hardwired pieces and is more fool-proof than ever. Consider wiring your system to a separate solar generator, which can help your system run without wasting energy while allowing it to continue to run even in the case of a power outage. Investing in smart-phone enabled home system integration allows homeowners to turn off their systems, lights, and even indoor climate control remotely, which can be extraordinarily helpful in stopping waste.
Recognize how your fencing and landscaping affect your property
A fence of adequate height – around six feet to keep unwanted guests out – can also serve the dual benefit of mitigating sunlight from your home, which can reduce energy costs during warmer seasons. Similarly, hedges and trees can shield your home from sunlight and reduce your indoor temperature by several degrees alone. These are also crucial ways to keep visibility in your property low, which prevents “advertising” your property to potential crooks. Just be wary of concealing your property to your disadvantage, since it can provide exploitable cover.
Invest in greener lighting
Conventional wisdom dictates that LED is both more energy efficient and longer-lasting than incandescent. However, this technology is less practical in large outdoor applications since it suffers a waning efficiency when pushed to cover large spaces – in fact, enough distance can entirely negate its benefits. Innovations in lighting promise to remedy this, such as the incredibly low wattage required of NanoLight technology. Other ways to reduce wasteful energy usage in your outdoor lighting is to install motion-sensors that only turn lights on when someone approaches. This is another two-fold benefit to home security and home greening, since this response serves an excellent deterring effect.
With these three tips in mind, any homeowner can factor in the well-being of Earth along with the safety of their family. What other ways can homeowners improve the energy efficiency of home security?
About the author: Naomi Broderick is an avid writer of parenting and emergency preparedness. She currently writes with Protect Your Home, an ADT alarm system supplier.
