Nowadays, many homeowners are making upgrades to their homes, such as by adding a second HVAC system, solar power, or an EV charger. If you’re considering such upgrades, you’ve probably heard of the complicated-sounding term, “smart load management.” This is a special technology that allows your electrical panel to decide which devices and appliances receive electricity. This “brain” allows you to add big, energy-hungry devices to your home without having to pay for an expensive upgrade to your main electrical service. But like with any technology that you purchase, you must examine the pros and the cons to see if being “smart” with your power is truly the right path for you.
The Big Benefits of Being a Smart Home
One of the greatest benefits of using smart technology is that you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to make upgrades to your main electrical service. Smart load management systems use software to monitor your home’s total power usage in real time, and they prioritize the appliances and devices that need to run at the moment. This makes certain that you don’t put more on the main service than it can actually handle.
For instance, if your system detects that the clothes dryer and the air conditioner are running at the same time and you’re also trying to charge your vehicle, it can slow down the electric car charger for some time. This keeps the main breaker from tripping and causing a disruption. Once something turns off, the car begins charging again. This clever juggling act allows you to add new features to your house without completely destroying your budget for unnecessary main service upgrades.
Potential Drawbacks and Some Important Things You Must Consider
Even though this technology is revolutionary and helps save significant cash, it does have its drawbacks. The most common issue is that these systems can be expensive to purchase and install initially. Although you’re avoiding a costly utility upgrade, you’re still spending money on new, specialized equipment and programming. Furthermore, because these are electronic, computerized systems, they introduce a new point of potential failure to your home. The worst-case scenario is that the smart management device itself malfunctions or the software glitches. Then, your power might be shut down unexpectedly.
Another drawback is that the maintenance of these systems can be complex. While a standard breaker panel is easy for any qualified electrician to work on, smart panels might require specialists who are specifically trained in that brand’s software to fix an issue. This could be less convenient and more costly down the road.
Professional Electricians Can Help
At the end of the day, the choice to make this upgrade to your home is yours. If you’re still uncertain, sit down with an electrician to discuss your options. To see if a smart load management system is right for your electrical panel in your Denver, CO home, reach out to Absolute Electrical Heating & Air today.