Out of all the quick improvements you can make to your home, installing a smart thermostat might be the best. This simple upgrade pays for itself and gives you tons more flexibility in controlling your home.
The Traditional Thermostat
Traditional thermostats versus Smart thermostats are a lot like “dumb phones” versus smart phones. When comparing the feature phones of 2002 to the smart phones of today, it is no contest. Traditional thermostats and smart thermostats are much the same.
The traditional thermostat usually has a temperature sensor. The temperature control system heats or cools the home until the temperature threshold is reached. The system shuts off for a bit, then starts heating or cooling again after the temperature changes. This means your house is being heated or cooled 24/7, even if no one is home! You might as well be burning money.
Some traditional thermostats offer minimal programming, but it is often underwhelming and unintuitive. The interface on older thermostats can be cumbersome and hard to use, causing many to forgo programming the thermostat at all. As a result, you may find yourself manually changing the temperature all the time.
The Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats, such as offerings from Nest or ecobee, actually learn the temperatures you prefer. Additionally, these systems feature easy to use interfaces. Simply set the temperature to where you like it, and after a couple weeks, the Nest or ecobee will start adjusting the temperature on their own!
These devices have some killer features as well. Motion sensors allow the thermostats to detect when people are in your home. When the house is empty, the thermostats intelligently change the temperature to save you money. However, the device is also smart enough to learn when you regularly come home. It will then adjust the temperature to where you like it right before you arrive, so you always come home to a comfortable house.
Smart thermostats can be controlled through the main device itself, a smartphone app, or with your voice. These methods allow for ease of control from anywhere. You can check on your home from your desk at work. When you leave for vacation, just use the app to put your home in vacation mode. It will then maintain the house at a low-cost temperature while you’re away. If your thermostat has a microphone or you own a smart speaker like Amazon’s Echo or the Google Home, setting the temperature is as easy as speaking out loud.
The main benefit to these smart temperature control systems is saving energy. ENERGY STAR requires smart thermostats to save an average of $75 a year to be certified, but many people see even greater savings. In the long run, a smart thermostat will pay for itself, then start putting money back in your pocket. Using less energy is better for the environment, too! Plus, you get all the great features mentioned above.
Smart thermostats are easier to use, make your home more comfortable, and save you money! What’s not to love? Help out yourself and help out the environment by installing a smart thermostat in your home.
