degrees.

” For instance, Fujit-

(NAPSI)—As temperatures
rise, homeowners can beat
the heat by combining
“smart” home climate control
technologies with the latest
air-conditioning systems to
heighten energy efficiency
and take customized comfort
to new levels.
With home cooling account-
ing for nearly half of all
energy use, costing home-
owners more than $11 billion
each year, it’s clear why the
American smart home
marketplace is exploding. In
fact, the industry is expected
to reach $46.2 billion in 2018
and $112.8 billion by 2022.
Household penetration is 32
percent and is predicted to
reach 53 percent by 2022,
with an annual growth rate of
nearly 15 percent.
What Is “Smart” Home
Climate Control?
What is a smart home? A
home with Internet-connect-
ed “smart” products used to
control, automate and
optimize functions such as
lighting, security, entertain-
ment and temperature either
remotely by a mobile device,
smart speaker or separate heating and cooling products
home system. on the market, ductless
When it comes to smart mini-split systems, can save
home temperature control, as much as 25 percent on
there are Smart HVAC your energy bill. Further, an
Systems and Smart Thermo- efficiently controlled thermo-
stats. Smart HVAC systems stat could save an additional
have built-in Internet capabil- 10 percent a year.
ity and can be controlled Here’s how ductless
directly without additional mini-split systems work.
equipment. Smart Home Thin copper tubing is used to
Thermostats create “smart” pump refrigerant from an
systems by enabling remote outdoor compressor directly
temperature control via a into an indoor air-handling
mobile or Internet-connected unit, where the air is quietly
device or voice-operated distributed to the interior
home automation system. space. This eliminates the
Several leading manufactur- need for basement or attic
ers, including Fujitsu General evaporators and bulky,
America, offer Smart expensive ductwork.
Systems as well as a Thermo- Mini-splits are easy to install
stat Converter, which can and usually require only a 3-
control their single and multi- to 4-inch hole through a wall
zone Halcyon and Airstage or ceiling to connect the
heating and cooling systems indoor and outdoor units.
using a third-party thermo- Customized Home Comfort
stat. Control: Take control of your
Boost Energy Efficiency, comfort. Most HVAC manu-
Lower Bills Up to 25 Percent: facturers offer apps that
Upgrading your system and enable systems to be
installing a smart home controlled from anywhere
thermostat can significantly using a mobile device. Now,
reduce your utility expense. voice-control capability uses
The most energy-efficient digital assistants, like
Amazon Alexa, to verbally
dictate home tempera-
tures—“Alexa, set the living
room temperature to 70
su offers a free FGLair app
that enables Web-activated
control via mobile devices
and now voice-activated
control via Amazon Alexa.
Built for optimal customiza-
tion, ductless mini-split
systems let you control the
individual temperature in
each room, so you don’t
waste money cooling unused
spaces such as guest
bedrooms, bonus rooms,
sunrooms and basements.
Ductless systems operate at
much higher efficiency levels
than central forced-air
systems and window units, as
duct losses in a central AC
system can account for more
than 30 percent of your
energy consumption.
The smart home revolution
has empowered homeowners
with the latest home cooling
systems and smart technolo-
gy to create the perfect storm
of cost and energy efficiency
and customized comfort.
Many Fujitsu systems with
the Energy Star rating are
more than twice as efficient
as the minimum standard set
by the government.
To learn more or find a
contractor nearby, call (888)
888-3424 or visit www.con-
stantcomfort.com or www.fu-
jitsugeneral.com.
Hello fellow readers,
It's fair time! Farm animals,
4-H exhibits, rides, fun food,
and, in the case of the NJ State
Fair, garden displays and
speakers of which I am one.
This Saturday, August 4th at 1
PM, I’ve been asked to speak
about Garden Dilemmas. It
will be held in the beautiful
Conservatory at the Sussex
County Fairgrounds in Augus-
ta NJ where the Flower Expo
and other horticultural goodies
will be on display. The talk is
free with the cost of admission
to the fair. I would love for you
to come! Also, all during the
fair, you can visit our outdoor
kitchen garden display behind
the Conservatory.
It’ll be a Q & A so bring your
questions and we’ll pow-wow
solutions, maybe commiserate
about critters, and have a few
laughs. We’ll chat about a few
favorite topics too from your
great questions over the past
six years, some fitting for
stand-ups like Phil’s Squirrel
Dilemma and coaching of his
calico to “Get the squirrels” to
no avail. There’s the column
about a talk given in collabo-
ration with my friend and
colleague Marty Carson a
while back titled Deer Resis-
tant Plants You May Not
Know which included a few
desperate measures of deer
deterrents learned from
others. The best was Liz from
Sparta who admits using
Shoprite bags to cover her
plants overnight. Apparently,
deer don’t like yellow or puffy
bags blowing in the wind. She
couldn’t send a photo though
as her husband “wouldn’t
allow her to do it before dark.”
Then there are the many talks
we’ve shared that bring to
light lessons of life. Like the
column titled Garden Magic
about the joy of living
creatively. But along with
creativity comes vulnerability.
Being creative in the garden
offers a safe space. A forgiv-
ing place to dabble as we grow
and learn that outcomes are
not truly in our control. And
the one titled We’re All Just
Seeds from the lyrics of a
country song written by Pat
Alger and Ralph Murphy. The
chorus speaks volumes
starting with, “We’re all just
seeds in God’s hands. We start
the same, but where we land is
sometimes fertile soil and
sometimes sand.” The thing
is, many plants grow very well
in the sand. And, unlike
people or animals with more
freedom to seek out ideal
places to live, plants rely on
transport systems that
wondrously evolved to find
their way to where they can
root and thrive.
We frustrate over Bambi,
Peter Rabbit, and relatives of
Punxsutawney Phil. Thankful-
ly plants are resilient. And art
in the garden has a mind of its
own. Just as creativity allows a
space for surprises and
mistakes which become
lessons, the magic begins with
letting go and allowing the gift
of what grows in the world
around us just... be.
Hope to see you Saturday!
Garden dilemmas?
AskMaryStone.com
(Previous columns are
searchable by topic.)

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If so, call RE/MAX Ridge...
the most productive real estate team in Warren County!
:HGRQ·WMXVWOLVWKRPHVZHÀQGEX\HUVDQGJHWWKHP62/'

Gail Masson Ravi Joanne Van Carol Kathy Carol Phyllis Deborah Janet
Romano Romano Valkenburg Ruddy Kalish Paglia Howe Wiesing Rasely
Broker DĂƌŬĞƟŶŐ Broker Sales Sales Sales Sales Sales Sales
Owner Owner DĂŶĂŐĞƌ

%ODLUVWRZQ7RZQVKLS2IÀFH0DLQ6WUHHW :DVKLQJWRQ2IÀFH$::DVKLQJWRQ$YH

(908) 362-7200 NJResidence.com

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