Is a Smart Thermostat right for your home?
by Hammock's HVAC
Hundreds of thousands of households are converting themselves to what you could consider “smart homes”. While the term invokes images of voice-activated lights and robot butlers, even something as simple as having an Alexa speaker technically makes a home “smart”. One of the best and newest developments in this trend is smart thermostats. Is this something you should consider? We’ve got all the info you need.
What is a smart thermostat?
A thermostat that is connected via wifi, so you can adjust the temperature/settings remotely. It can also be adjusted in the house without an app, just like a normal thermostat. Smart thermostats learn your schedule and preferences, which allows them to make changes to the settings while you’re away or asleep to make your home more comfortable.
What are the benefits of smart thermostats?
Having your thermostat connected to your phone via wifi may seem a bit over-the-top, but the convenience can absolutely save you money in the long run. Running late one morning and forget to turn the thermostat up from the perfect sleeping temperature of 68°? Now your unit won’t have to battle the sun to keep the house freezing cold all day.
On the same note, if you want it to be a certain temperature when you get home from work or school, a smart thermostat can track when you get within a certain distance of home and automatically turn on the system so you never have to walk into a hot house or wait for it to cool down. This is better than thermostats that can simply be “scheduled”, since it will only turn on when you’re close even if you have to stay late or get to come home early.
Connecting your thermostat to your phone also allows you huge insight into your electricity usage. Most smart thermostat apps will create a report for you monthly, so you can see when you use the most energy and when you used the least. This can also help you detect if there is an issue with your HVAC system.
You can integrate smart thermostats with your home speaker system, so a simple voice command can make adjustments without you even having to lift a finger.
Who should get a smart thermostat?
Most smart thermostats can integrate with the majority of existing HVAC systems, but you should check the stats for the specific thermostat you are interested in buying to make sure it will work in your home. This is especially true for people with older homes. It’s also recommended that you plan to stay in the home for a long time (5+ years) before you install, to make sure you will get the financial benefits out of it that you put in.
Interested in upgrading your thermostat?
To make sure upgrading your system will go as smoothly as possible, it’s best to consult an expert. If you’re thinking about installing a smart thermostat in your home, give us a call or fill out a contact form and our HVAC professionals can help you take the first step towards saving money on your energy bill!
