Why Smart Thermostats Are Worth It

If you’re looking for a way to save money and energy in your home, it may be a wise investment to research getting a smart thermostat. These gadgets can do everything from monitor when you leave the house, so that it doesn’t throw away electricity heating or cooling a vacant home, to changing energy usage based on how many people are in a room or what time of day it is.

We’ll cover what a smart thermostat is, how it works and why it’s worthwhile to purchase one. We’ll also discuss how it can help you save money on your energy bills by lowering energy consumption.

What Is a Smart Thermostat?

A smart thermostat is a programmable device that allows you to do everything from adjusting your heating and cooling settings for different times of day, to monitoring when people are in the house, so it isn’t wasting energy by heating or cooling a vacant home.

Most smart thermostats have learning capabilities, which means they pay attention to how you change your settings and make automatic adjustments over time based on what they learn from you.

A smart thermostat connects to Wi-Fi, so you’ll be able to change and keep track of your energy usage from just about anywhere.

How Do Smart Thermostats Work?

A smart thermostat has learning algorithms and can hook up with other smart home technology, like Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit, for improved control over your comfort. They’re compatible with most systems, including home heating and air conditioning.

Smart thermostat features consist of a temperature sensor that can tell when the home is vacant, and then automatically adjust to an energy-efficient setting. Your smart thermostat may be able to geofence with your phone to know when you’re at home or out.

A smart thermostat does things like adapt more for rooms that are full or have more people in them, as well as track what time of day it is so it knows how much heating or air conditioning should be used.

Are Smart Thermostats Worth It?

For many people, the answer is yes. If you do a lot of traveling or are out for long hours during the day, it may be worth your money to invest in one of these thermostats. You could save a significant amount, especially if you forget to adjust it when you leave for work or go out of town for the weekend.

You won’t have to be concerned about whether your smart thermostat is on the appropriate program, or if you remembered to change the temperature setting before you left. It doesn’t require much effort from you, but you’ll see it in reduced energy bills.

Smart Thermostats vs. Programmable Thermostats

Many homeowners have a traditional programmable thermostat, but 40% of them aren’t set properly. This means you could be missing chances to save on heating and cooling expenses.

Smart thermostats are handy because they learn your schedule and automate heating and cooling that corresponds. You can set a comparable schedule on a programmable thermostat. But it’s more effort to program your thermostat manually.

A smart thermostat automatically adjusts and progressively changes the temperature inside your home for the biggest energy savings. If you manually adjust a programmable thermostat, you can overburden your HVAC system and make it work harder to meet your adjustments.

Do Smart Thermostats Save Energy?

Yes, because your smart thermostat will learn from your temperature preferences and day-to-day activities to make a schedule that saves on heating and cooling costs. You don’t have to do much as your thermostat does all the work for you while saving money.

You can acquire the same energy savings with a programmable thermostat, but it’s going to take a little bit more effort than a smart thermostat. To put together a schedule on programmable models, we advise following these guidelines from ENERGY STAR® to save energy.

Suggested Temperature Settings for Your Heating System

    • Wake: Under 70 degrees.
    • Day: Set back at least 8 degrees, if no one is home.
    • Evening: Higher than 70 degrees.
    • Sleep: Set back at least 8 degrees.

Recommended Temperature Settings for Your Cooling System

    • Wake: Higher than 78 degrees.
    • Day: Set up at least 7 degrees, if no one is there.
    • Evening: Cooler than 78 degrees.
    • Sleep: Set up at least 4 degrees.

As you can see, you don’t have to buy a smart thermostat to save on your energy bill. All you need is a programmable thermostat, but it’s essential to note that any savings may come at the expense of your comfort and convenience.

Do Smart Thermostats Save Money

Nest, one of the most prominent smart thermostat manufacturers, says its smart thermostat saves U.S. households about:

    • 10-12% on your heating bill
    • 15% on your cooling bill
    • $131 to $145 on your energy bill annually

Your smart thermostat will give you a monthly heating and cooling report, which often compares you to other residences in the area.

Your potential savings vary based on your house, where you live, how much insulation you have and your preferred temperature settings. You might experience average savings, significant savings or somewhere in between.

If you’re finding you’re only seeing minimal savings on energy costs, you might be optimizing for energy efficiency already. This includes turning off your HVAC system when you’re not at home or moving your thermostat up/down when you’re asleep.

Smart thermostats make the process easy through their hands-off process that slowly shifts the temperature. If you’re at home often, it might not save you much on energy costs as is the point in an automated, energy-efficient schedule.

How to Get a Smart Thermostat Rebate

Many utility companies offer rebates to homeowners who install energy-saving, ENERGY STAR-certified equipment such as a smart thermostat. The rebate amount varies by company, but in most instances, it will cover most or all the cost. To learn more, check your utility company’s website for rebate info.

Depend On the Experts for Your Smart Thermostat Needs

Installing a smart thermostat is an investment, but it can help you spend less money in the end. If you’ve been considering installing one and want to know if they work as promised, we offer free home comfort assessments. Call our Experts at 866-397-3787 to request yours now!