Thermostat technology has come a long way since the standard dial versions that were popular many decades ago. In fact, some older homes still have these outdated thermostats. Fortunately, we now have digital versions that come with smart features that can save time and money. Let’s look at some of the benefits associated with investing in a smart thermostat.
Energy Efficiency
Smart thermostats can cut back on the energy that you use in several ways. This can also decrease the amount of money that you’re paying for your monthly utility bills, which is something every homeowner will appreciate.
Different Programming Features
You can program your smart thermostat in a way that will reduce unnecessary runtime. For example, you can minimize HVAC use while you are going to be away for the day at work. Before you arrive home, your thermostat can adjust back to a more comfortable temperature. You won’t notice the difference while you’re away, but your energy consumption will surely show a change.
You can also utilize this smart schedule programming if you’re going on vacation or will be gone for several days. Just make sure that you’re maintaining an indoor temperature that is safe for things like your plumbing. If you drop your interior temperature down too much in the winter, generally below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, this can increase your risk of having a pipe burst. In the summer months, warm indoor temperatures have the potential to raise your indoor humidity. This can lead to mold growth, structural problems, and more.
Smart thermostats provide you with the opportunity to change your settings even when you’re not at home. Using your smart device, you can make appropriate changes that boost energy efficiency.
Important Data
Many smart thermostats will provide you with data that can help you make energy-efficient choices for your home. This is usually communicated through your smart device that you have hooked up to your thermostat. Some thermostats will even make changes for you that will boost energy efficiency. Of course, you can override these settings if you desire.
Power Company Connectivity
Certain smart thermostats can connect to your local power company. With your discretion, they can adjust your thermostat in ways that will save you money and decrease your energy consumption. This typically doesn’t involve a change that’s more than a few degrees. Don’t worry about experiencing any kind of major shift in home comfort. In most homes, you won’t see much of a difference in comfort when you’re only adjusting your thermostat by a degree or two. The increase in efficiency is noticeable, though.
Learning Capabilities
Some smart thermostats can learn your schedule to make appropriate changes for you automatically. They also can use a feature called “recovery mode” to help get your home to temp at the set time. For example, if your thermostat knows that you are raising your interior temperature at 9 a.m. every day but your interior temperature is many degrees lower than that, your smart thermostat will engage your furnace ahead of time. That way, it can use a minimal amount of energy to gradually change your home’s temperature until it hits the target point.
Geofencing
There is a feature that you can allow on your smart thermostat that allows your thermostat to monitor where you are, based on the location of your smart device, and then adjust your home’s temperature accordingly. For instance, if you have forgotten to make a thermostat adjustment before leaving the home, if geofencing is on, your system will see you’re away from home and adjust to use less energy.
Automatic Updates
Most smart thermostats will automatically update based on the latest algorithms and energy-saving features that are available. There is little to no maintenance involved in the process of using a smart thermostat.
Convenience
Not only is a smart thermostat a great way to decrease your energy consumption, but it’s also optimal for convenience. Many of these thermostats can be programmed to the sound of your voice. You can adjust from wherever you are sitting nearby without having to get up and physically go over to your thermostat. Other options include remotely monitoring your indoor relative humidity and the quality of your indoor air without having to be at home.
Thermostat Investment Savings
Many homeowners put off investing in a thermostat upgrade because of the initial cost of the unit. However, there are many different incentives and rebates that you can utilize to offset the cost, both through the federal government and many power companies. We can talk to you about the different models that are available and what kind of discounts are currently available.
Decreasing Your Carbon Footprint
Not only are smart thermostats designed to save you money and boost the efficiency of your HVAC system, but this is a great way to reduce your negative impact on the environment. Smart thermostats can help you decrease greenhouse gas emissions. If every home were to invest in a smart thermostat, this would save us 56 trillion BTUs of energy and $740 million per year, according to ENERGY STAR.
Are You Eligible to Upgrade?
If you have a very old home and your furnace was built prior to 1975, you may not be able to upgrade your thermostat immediately. In many cases, your current wiring will need to have a “C” wire. This is to ensure there is enough power to run all the features that a smart thermostat provides. If you don’t have a “C” wire and require one, new wiring may be able to be run to this area through a professional installation. An adapter may also be all that’s needed to shift from an old thermostat to a smart model.
It’s also important to note that smart thermostats generally only work with the most common HVAC system types, such as furnaces, central AC and heat pumps. Most smart thermostats are not compatible with baseboard heating, in-wall heaters, or biofuels.
Finally, you will need a Wi-Fi connection for your smart thermostat to connect with your smart device in order to get the most out of it; otherwise, it’s just a programmable thermostat. There may be issues that occur if your thermostat is situated too far from your router, which is something to consider during the installation process.
If you would like to invest in a smart thermostat for your Nassau County or Suffolk County, home, reach out to our team here at Cool Power LLC. We would be happy to help you choose the right thermostat for your home as well as install it. We also offer a variety of heating and cooling services, such as the installation and maintenance of different types of equipment, including boilers, geothermal, heat pumps, and ductless. We also provide emergency repairs and can address indoor air quality concerns and provide commercial services as well.
Reach out to Cool Power LLC for smart thermostat assistance today.
