Marketing Home Products

We’ve been talking a lot lately about the future of smart homes that give consumers the ability to control all of their home’s systems from their mobile devices. Networking all your systems together into a central control system makes a house more energy efficient because the systems communicate with one another to avoid using energy when it is unnecessary. But now there is a study out that shows these systems also makes homeowners more inclined to actually use their energy saving features.

Programmable thermostats have been around for some time, but surveys have shown that only about 10 percent of consumers use the programming features to automatically adjust temperatures during certain parts of the day. However, consumers who have a Wi-Fi enabled thermostat – allowing control of the thermostat from any PC or mobile device – used the programming features of the thermostat 85 percent of the time. EnergyHub, the maker of the Wi-Fi thermostat used in the study, attributes the high usage rates to the interface of the thermostat’s Wi-Fi access.

“We’re not changing the way the thermostat works. We’re getting it to do what it was designed to do 30 years ago,” EnergyHub CEO Seth Frader-Thompson said. “An easier interface is a huge part of it.”

By taking the same technology used today, integrating it with the devices consumers use most often, and giving it an easier-to-use interface, consumers are more inclined to take advantage of energy-saving features. Perhaps this is really what homes and people need today. They don’t need new technology… they need something to make the existing technology easier to use. If the technology were easier to use, perhaps it would be used more often, making us all more efficient.

With what looks like another harsh winter upon us, homeowners and apartment dwellers alike are pondering ways to winterize their homes while also saving money. Unless living in a warmer area such as parts of California or Florida, most will likely see at least some snow this winter with temperatures lower than they’ve ever been. There are, however, plenty of ways to keep your place warm this season.

One of the easiest ways to save money during winter is to use an energy efficient space heater. Today’s heaters are smart with thermostatic remote controls, meaning that they sense the ambient temperature and can heat the room accordingly. Most electrical space heaters convert 100% of electricity that they consume into heat, which is good for your wallet. Use one where you’re seated or a few around the house to manage which rooms need the most heat.

The best thing you can do for your power bill is to install a high-tech programmable thermostat to make sure you’re heating your place at the right times. These cut down your power bill significantly allowing users to program an entire week’s temperatures. You can even have a separate program for the weekend.

Most homes and apartments lose heat through windows and doors. Applying window wrap to the windows, although not attractive, will keep the heat inside. This works especially well in older homes. For installation, most recommend double-sided tape and a hairdryer to get all of the wrinkles out, making the wrap almost invisible. New weather stripping for doors can often fix the problem of warping and pulling away from the door frame. If it’s too damaged, however, a new door may be in your future (bonus: upgraded curb appeal!).

What are ways you’re saving heat and money this winter?

Going green may be costly for some, but it’s an investment worth making according to most. With eco-friendly options available for homes, products and cars, and as brands continually boast about energy savings and efficiency, carbon footprint reduction is becoming a priority for individuals, families and the government… all of which are getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. Washington recently pushed to eliminate incandescent light bulbs in favor of lower wattage, energy saving bulbs, with the goal of completely replacing the energy-sucking bulbs by 2013. Among others, one classic childhood product that had an unintended casualty was the Easy-Bake Oven.

Since launching in 1963, Hasbro – the maker of the popular toy – has been through 12 versions, varying color from green to orange, changes that were mostly visual. However, today’s purple Easy-Bake Oven is different both on the outside as well as the inside. For the first time in nearly 50 years, the toy no longer requires a 100-watt light bulb as a heating device.

Today’s Easy-Bake Oven contains a heating element that’s more like a traditional oven. It’s also around 50% larger than previous models and is more expensive ($49.99 versus $29.99).

Although some parents may balk at the price difference, going green is more than just an upgrade. Eco-friendly products show clear personal benefits. For kids, the new Easy-Bake Oven gives them more variety in baking with the ability to whip up both sweet and savory items from pizza to cupcakes. Parents will be happy that their kids can be more creative while learning to bake, while simultaneously contributing to smarter energy savings.

With a poor economy, many parents are being more particular about buying toys for their little ones; however, they will find that the new Easy-Bake Oven is an investment – a toy that has proven its longevity and popularity. And who doesn’t want to invest in play?