Tired of wasting energy and doing double takes every time you get a new energy bill? WiFi thermostats, also called smart thermostats, not only make it easier and more convenient to keep your home comfortable, but they can lead to significant energy savings and lower heating bills in the winter as well.
By setting up your smart thermostat correctly, the average homeowner is estimated to save 8% on their annual heating and cooling costs, but that figure can go up depending on the specifics of your St. Louis, Brentwood, or Kirkwood home, your HVAC system, and your comfort preferences.
Today, we’re going to explain how smart thermostats like Nest and ecobee work, and the different ways you can program yours for maximum savings.
Smart thermostats are similar to programmable thermostats in that they save money by automatically adjusting the temperature your HVAC system is set to. Because most homeowners are asleep or away from their homes for a significant part of the average day, an HVAC system set to the same temperature 24/7 ends up wasting a lot of energy when there’s no one up or around to benefit from the conditioned air.
Smart thermostats offer programming features and more to automate your home’s HVAC operation and maximize savings.
This is the most basic money-saving feature for smart thermostats. If you have a routine schedule during the week or on weekends, where you know you’ll be away from your home or asleep, program your thermostat to raise or lower the temperature to save money while you’re gone.
One of the drawbacks to regular programmable thermostats is people don’t always have consistent schedules, and plans can change quickly. Setting your smartphone up to control your smart thermostat allows you to make changes anywhere you have an internet connection.
Smart thermostats can control more than just your heating and cooling system! By connecting your WiFi thermostat to your whole home humidifier, dehumidifier, or in-duct air cleaner units, you can also automate your home’s air quality as well.
For homeowners who want their HVAC systems to automatically raise and lower the temperature, many smart thermostats can be connected to individual room sensors that can detect occupancy, and can turn off automatically to maximize energy savings when it detects that you’re away from your home.
Smart thermostats can also control HVAC systems in a house with “zoning”, where the comfort levels in different areas of your home are controlled independently. Combined with individual temperature sensors, smart thermostats can make adjustments in different rooms of your house to meet the comfort preferences of your entire family.
At SmartHouse, we offer St. Louis area homeowners a variety of options when it comes to smart thermostats, including popular manufacturers like Nest and ecobee. But more importantly, we’ll take the time to learn about the specific issues you’re looking to address in your home, so we can find the right home comfort and money saving solution. We’ll also help you take advantage of available incentives and rebates that make upgrading to a smart thermostat even more affordable.
