While there are multiple ways to upgrade your Springfield, OR home, installing a smart electrical panel could be the best. Smart panels create the infrastructure for many other smart home improvements. They open the door to impressive energy savings, modernize buildings, and reduce fire risks. Read on to discover 10 reasons why you should consider smart panel installation today!
What Is a Smart Electrical Panel?
Your home’s electrical panel is in the thin metal box that holds all your circuit breakers. Standard electrical panels distribute electricity to all of a home’s circuits. But homeowners only get manual, in-person power management. You can flip your circuit breakers on and off, or toggle your main breaker switch. But you can’t track energy distribution or consumption, nor can you access your panel remotely.
Smart electrical panels are rich with features that optimize energy management and offer far greater convenience. Equipped with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, they allow for remote monitoring and adjustments. With intelligent sensors and intelligent circuit breakers, smart electrical panels provide real-time insights and seamless compatibility with other smart home installations.
1. Increase Your Home’s Value and Marketability
Homebuyers are increasingly searching for homes with modern, efficient designs. If you intend to list your home in the near future, a smart panel will help you attract motivated, qualified buyers. It will also allow you to command a higher asking price.
Smart panel installation is a good indication of diligent electrical system maintenance. Modernizing electrical panels also shows buyers that electrical systems are compliant with the latest building codes. Savvy investors know that homes with updated panels are less likely to face liability or legal issues due to electrical system malfunctions.
2. Enhanced Electrical System Safety
Smart electrical panels constantly monitor electrical systems. This allows rapid detection of issues such as worn wiring, overloads, and other faults. You can get real-time safety alerts from your smart panel via its branded mobile app. You can also count on your panel to shut down potentially hazardous circuits, or you can remotely deactivate them yourself.
3. Lay the Groundwork for Solar Energy
If you intend to install solar panels and a solar battery, a smart panel can act as the power distribution hub for all electrical activities. A smart electrical panel can control the flow of electricity from the power grid, from your solar system, and even back into the grid for net metering. With ongoing energy tracking, smart meters can also help homeowners spot and prove inconsistencies in net metering credits.
4. Manage Power While You’re Away
How many times have you set out on a long road trip only to return home because you left the oven or another heat-generating appliance on? With a smart panel, you don’t have to wonder whether you’ve turned connected appliances off or left them running. You can check in with your mobile app for instant peace of mind. If necessary, you can also turn circuits off remotely. From revealing common oversights and errors to providing easy, hassle-free ways to correct them, smart electrical panels prevent energy waste, fast-spreading fires, and more!
5. Automated Scheduling
Automated scheduling for load balancing and other smart electrical panel features allows homeowners to establish energy-efficient routines. For instance, you can set “vacation” and “nighttime” modes that turn off unnecessary appliances. This way, the light on your coffee maker won’t draw energy while you’re sleeping, and you won’t have to pay for this or other phantom energy loads. Automated scheduling can also incorporate solar panels and solar backup batteries, automatically switching to these sources during peak electricity rates.
6. Enjoy Impressive Energy Savings
One study performed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) found that a smart panel could reduce energy consumption by as much as 10.4%. On a summer day, smart panels can reduce energy costs by up to 44% for some households, according to the DOE. While these savings account for solar installations, additional smart home features, and other household and location-specific factors, they reveal the energy-saving potential of smart panel upgrades.
A smart panel can help you reduce your energy use by:
- Providing real-time consumption data and insights
- Highlighting appliances that consume the most power
- Turning off non-essential devices for load shedding
- Automating and optimizing lighting and appliance schedules
- Identifying and eliminating phantom loads
7. Built-In Surge Protection
While built-in surge protection isn’t a universal feature for all smart panels, many of the latest smart panels include it. They provide whole-home surge protection by diverting excess energy into the ground during utility grid fluctuations. They also protect against the many internal power surges that homes experience due to increased electrical activity and non-linear load switching.
Under Article 230.67 of the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC), all new homes must have whole-house surge protection, whether installed on main panels or next to them. While this relatively new requirement doesn’t apply to existing, already installed panels, it does apply to all new panel installations. This makes switching to a smart panel a more cost-effective decision. Although smart panels can cost twice as much or more than standard electrical panels, the cost of standard panels paired with secondary surge protection isn’t much lower.
8. Enhanced Reliability
During outages, smart panels revert to normal panel performance. You won’t enjoy remote monitoring, but your panel can still power all your circuits. More importantly, it can also seamlessly handle the transfer between your normal utility power supply and your backup generator, solar battery, or other secondary energy source.
During normal operations, smart panels offer ongoing, dynamic load balancing. This minimizes the risk of tripped breakers, damaged electronics and appliances, and elevated electricity rates. Load balancing can help reduce energy costs when homeowners install EV charging stations, heat pumps, or other high-demand appliances.
9. Future-Proof Your Home With a Smart Electrical Panel
Whether you want an advanced home network or more smart home technologies, a smart electrical panel is the best option for supporting them. Updating to a smart panel ensures compliance with the latest NEC while making it easier to install fully compliant upgrades. With the right panel, you’ll already have surge protection for these investments, and you can enjoy ongoing compatibility when replacing existing smart devices.
10. Simplify Electrification
Smart panel installation simplifies electrification. Whether upgrading to a heat pump or hybrid heating system, installing your first EV charger, or replacing your water heater, you’ll have greater control. You’ll also have better integration of all electrical features. A smart panel can additionally help you track your returns from each investment and prioritize the most beneficial electrification projects.
Schedule Your Smart Electrical Panel Installation Today!
We’ve proudly served Springfield and the surrounding communities since 2002. We provide expert electrical services, emphasizing the latest, most efficient technologies. Jco Heating A/C Electrical offers and installs smart electrical panels with cutting-edge features and functions. Our clients can count on us for upfront pricing, consistently excellent workmanship, and solid guarantees. To schedule smart electrical panel installation in Springfield, contact Jco Heating A/C Electrical today!
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