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In today’s modern homes, families are surrounded by smart technology. From smart speakers to video doorbells, talking virtual assistants, and even coffee makers, there are endless options for families to build the smart homes of their dreams. This includes technology that allows homeowners to manage energy use, comfort, and efficiency.
While many homeowners would associate smart technology with electricity, propane is an innovative energy source that seamlessly integrates into modern smart homes. With advanced systems and products like smart thermostats, propane tank monitors, and water heaters, propane-powered appliances are currently available for intelligent, efficient, and clean energy solutions.
Optimized Heating and Smart Energy Monitoring
When it comes to being comfortable in our homes, smart technology that integrates with propane has taken it to the next level. Smart thermostats and propane tank monitors give homeowners the ability to automate and optimize home heating while always knowing how much propane is in their tank, leading to increased efficiency and peace of mind.
Smart thermostats from ecobee work seamlessly with propane heating systems to adjust settings based on real-time usage. These thermostats can be controlled through a smartphone app, allowing homeowners to manage their energy consumption from anywhere. Some ecobee models feature occupancy-sensing technology, which detects when a home is empty and adjusts the temperature accordingly. The system uses machine learning to ensure that even if the temperature is lowered when a home is unoccupied, it can return to the preferred setting within 30 to 45 minutes.
“We’re able to drive significant energy savings up to 26 percent all while allowing people to stay within a relative range of their preferred comfort settings,” said Rob Cammalleri, national accounts manager at ecobee. “We want to improve homeowners’ everyday lives with technology that seamlessly works and adapts to their lifestyle.”
According to Cammalleri, this technology can be especially useful in colder climates where homeowners have an electric heat pump with a propane furnace as the backup heat source. Homeowners can customize the settings of their thermostat to switch automatically between fuel sources (like heat pump and auxiliary heat) based on their preferred temperature thresholds. Because propane systems can heat homes more quickly than electric heat pumps when temperatures plummet, this feature provides homeowners with added comfort.
“In colder climates, when temperatures start to drop, certain heat pumps can only operate up to a certain temperature. Having propane as a backup and allowing the ecobee to automatically turn that propane heating source on is a big benefit to the homeowner,” he said. “It’ll do it automatically if the temperature isn’t met within a certain time or there’s a large enough temperature delta, or difference, between the current temperature and their preferred temperature. It’s a nice user experience for the homeowner.”
For added peace of mind, ecobee smart thermostats can also integrate with Generac’s propane tank monitor to provide real-time tracking of propane levels. These cellular devices attach to the tank and show fuel levels in a smartphone app and directly on a household’s thermostat screen. If fuel levels drop below a certain level, it will send an alert in the app and to the thermostat to notify everyone in the household. Propane suppliers are also able to monitor this data remotely to optimize delivery schedules and detect irregular consumption, further enhancing the safety, efficiency, and reliability of propane.
Smart Appliances for a More Efficient Home
Beyond smart thermostats and tank monitors, propane-powered appliances are incorporating smart technology to enhance both performance and efficiency, which can ultimately lead to lower energy bills.
Rinnai’s Smart-Circ Intelligent Recirculation tankless water heaters learn when your household uses hot water and adjust heating schedules accordingly. Unlike traditional storage tanks that always keep water heated, propane tankless water heaters ensure hot water is available when needed, so homeowners never have to choose between a hot shower, running the dishwasher, or doing a load of laundry.
This feature extends the life of the unit by up to twice as long as a traditional water heating tank, and propane-powered tankless water heaters can cost up to $100 less annually to operate compared with electric heat pump water heaters.
“The Smart-Circ will remember that you took a shower at 7:00 a.m. and turn on at 5:30 a.m. As you turn your water on, it’s giving you hot water but only when you’re asking for it,” said Kevin Morgan, director of energy at Rinnai America Corporation. “It will run at 199,000 BTUs and it modulates up as it goes. It will utilize propane to provide endless hot water for consumers’ homes. Especially if you’re utilizing propane for other things in the home, like cooktops, fireplace, dryers — all of that works with this unit.”
Upgrade to Smart Propane Technology
On its own, propane provides reliability, efficiency, and convenience for any home. But when paired with smart technology, homeowners experience added peace of mind, cost savings, and boosted comfort. Whether through intelligent thermostats, real-time monitoring, or smart tankless water heaters, propane-powered systems rise to the task to meet the needs of modern homeowners. Visit propane.com to learn more.
