ADT and Energy Efficiency

April 29 2022

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At ADT, security is at the heart of everything we do. But what you probably didn’t know is how our ADT Smart Home Security, along with other devices, can in fact improve your home’s energy efficiency.   

It all starts with automation rules. These provide you with endless possibilities when it comes to managing your ADT system. Our smart home devices such as smart plugs, motion detectors, and cameras, enable you to completely customise your home security and routine. So you can get the most out of your entire system - whether your alarm is set or not.

Once you’re all set up, our ADT camera and doorbell work in perfect harmony with other devices in your home, like your lamps when connected to our smart plugs for instance. If motion is detected outside, your lights will automatically switch on, to make it look like you’re home when you’re not. It’s effortless security for maximum peace of mind. 

According to The Energy Savings Trust, Britons waste on £80 a year on average by simply leaving appliances on standby. What’s more, The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and CLEAResult found that using smart plugs saves between 1 and 4.85% of energy usage, or 500-1000 Kilowatts each year. That roughly equates to a month’s worth of energy households.

In our homes we’ve all been guilty of wasting energy on the odd occasion. For example, intentionally leaving lights on in an unused room is common and is to give the illusion that someone is in - deterring any potential intruders. Not to mention when we forget to turn a light off before we leave a room. As a result, it’s these types of habits we need to break in order to consume less energy day-to-day. 

Available as an add-on to any ADT Smart Home packages, our smart plugs provide your home with that extra layer of security, whilst also helping you to save energy. Here’s our top five ways to get more than an alarm with ADT. 

1)    Be sure to make full use of the ADT Smart Services App. Here, you can remotely turn on and turn off devices connected to the smart plugs. For example, lamps in hallways or conservatories. 
2)    Set up Geo fencing in the ADT Smart Services portal to determine when lights come on or off in your home. Simply put, Geo fencing relies on your location and is based on how far away from home you are. 
3)    Preschedule your lights to come on and off at specific times of the day. This can be completely customisable and in line with your routine - which means no two days need to be the same.
4)    Link your smart plug with other security devices, such as motion sensors, and set your rules to focus on movement. Then, when a motion detector is triggered, a lamp (connected to a smart plug) can automatically switch on as well as specifying how long to wait before switching back off. What’s more, these two devices don’t always have to be in the same room. Alternatively, if the devices are in the same room, you can even go as far as setting up a rule so that when no motion is detected for 30 minutes, the lamp will turn off. 
5)    There’s plenty of appliances in our homes we often forget to switch off, which is what makes smart plugs such an efficient solution. Here are the most common appliances we tend to overlook:

-    Microwave 
-    Slow cooker 
-    Coffee machine
-    Hair curlers and straighteners
-    Kettle
-    Toaster
-    Sprinklers
-    Chargers (mobile, laptop)
-    Laptops 
-    Games console
-    TVs 
-    Outdoor garden lights
-    Washing machine and dryer

All sound great? If you already have ADT smart plugs and want to get started with setting up rules and schedules we've created a handy how to guide here