I don’t usually think of the internet when I think of saving energy and I certainly don’t think of my water heater, but apparently that’s all about to change thanks to an innovative new component called the Smart Water Heating Unit, you (and your clients) can save money on energy.
You may not realize it but we spend nearly 20% of our monthly energy bill just heating the water! Instead, by setting your tank to work at low rate hours and by setting your water temperature to an appropriate level you can gain significant savings.
Because your tank is connected to the Internet via your home Wi-Fi network, you can access and control it from any device and from anywhere in the world. And the good thing is that it requires only a 2.4Ghz band which is available on most routers.
According to Steam’s website, “Steam’s multiple sensors help you find patterns, understand your consumption, and change habits. You adjust the water heating to the optimize comfort level.” Conveniently, you can choose between adjusting the heating unit by yourself, or just let Steam do it for you!
The Smart Water Heating Unit fits onto your existing or new hot water tank, connects to Wi-Fi and then you control it via Smartphone or Tablet, anytime or anywhere. Saving energy was never this easy! HelloSteam.com says that “not only is Steam good for the environment in helping reduce CO2 emissions but it pays for itself in around a year after purchase for a standard 3 bed house.”
Remember, Steam needs 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network in order to connect the Steam box to the Steam backend, which is supported by most routers. For now, the app is only available on Android and iOS but Steam will be supporting a web interface in future versions.
You will also need to have access to your water heater. Steam works best in single-family homes, condos, and townhouses that have their own hot water tank. Steam is powered from the same power lines going to your tank. No additional power is required and currently spends less than 1 megabyte of data per day.
As startups go, this one is hedging its bets on helping us spend less and consume less energy. In my book that’s a winning combination!
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