Benefits of a Smart Thermostat
“Smart” technology is a buzzword that you hear a lot these days, especially when talking about home improvement. Even if you aren’t a fan of smart technology, a smart thermostat might be worth looking into. The main benefits of a smart thermostat involve saving energy and money. Make your home’s heating and air conditioning system work smarter – not harder.
Older thermostats can be programmed manually to turn the heat down when you’re away, based on whatever time schedule you set. However, studies show that 89% of homeowners don’t properly use the programmable option on their thermostat anyway. Maybe you forgot to adjust the programming on your thermostat, maybe it seems too complicated, or maybe you don’t have a traditional schedule. A smart thermostat can help in all these situations. It can be controlled remotely through your smart phone, and the programs are very user friendly. The thermostat communicates via wifi so that you can change the temperature even if you aren’t home. This is a nice feature if you travel a lot – you may not have a set schedule but can adjust the temperature to save yourself money on the heating bill. There’s no point in heating a home if no one is there.
Another one of the benefits of a smart thermostat is the fact that it is “smart”. It doesn’t just rely on you to tell it what to do. It learns your habits and preferences and then anticipates what temperature you will want it to be. You can also adjust settings so that the thermostat is alerted when you are on your way home. Let’s say that you leave work early because you’re sick. A traditional thermostat wouldn’t know to turn on until the programmed time. However, your smart thermostat can tell that you are on your route home, so it starts to warm up the house. Instead of coming home to a chilly house, and manually cranking up the heat, your smart thermostat has already kicked on and warmed the house to your preferred temperature.
The fact that your thermostat can tell when you are on your way home may seem a little bit over the top. However, letting your smart phone alert the thermostat that you are heading home can save you a lot of energy and money on your heating bill. If you came home to a house that was chilly, you would probably just walk over to the thermostat and manually turn up the heat to the desired temperature. In order to save energy, you may have programmed your thermostat to a lower temperature during the day, when no one is home. If you come home early, the house might be at a chilly 67 degrees. If you manually adjust the temperature to 72 degrees, that means your heating system has to raise the temperature by 5 degrees, rather quickly. This will cause your heating system to go to full-blast to get the room to 72 degrees as quickly as possible. With a smart thermostat that knows you are on your way home, it can adjust the temperature more slowly. This is one of the benefits of a smart thermostat that allows your heating system to work more efficiently, which saves energy and money.
The EPA estimates that smart thermostats can save homes up to $180 a year in heating and cooling costs. These smart thermostats cost between $200 and $500, so you will have earned back your money in about two years. The benefits of a smart thermostat can be found in saving money and in the convenience and comfort they provide your home. If you are interested in upgrading to a smart thermostat, call Weather Crafters. We can answer any questions you might have about the functions of a smart thermostat, and how it is installed. We are also happy to recommend different types of thermostats, based on your needs. Smart thermostats are an investment in the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. Don’t wait – give Weather Crafters a call today!
For more information about the benefits of a smart thermostat, check out https://smartthermostatguide.com/8-smart-thermostat-advantages/