Set up an Assistant routine for your AC or fan
You probably want to run your fan or AC a lot right now with the scorching hot temperatures. But running it 24/7 equals a pretty big electric bill—and it’s not very energy efficient either.
Fortunately, you can create a Google routine to turn on your AC or fanwhen you need it—as long as you have a smart plug to run it! (That means you can come home to a cool house, or keep a room cool for your pet.)
To set it up:
- Open the Google Home app and tap “Routines”
- Tap the plus sign at the bottom
- Tap “Add Starter,” and choose a trigger, such as a certain time, or at sunrise/sunset—and also add a voice command as well (that’ll be the name of your routine!)
- Tap “Add Action” and “Adjust Home Devices”
- Tap “Adjust Lights, Plugs & More” and choose the action you want for specific plugs or lights, such as turn on (or off)
- Tap “Save”
Pro Tip #1: Make sure that you choose a smart plug that’s rated for the amps your AC makes.
Pro Tip #2: You can create a second routine to turn off your AC at a set time if you want to, say, run it for just a few hours during the day when you’re out.