The dog days of summer are behind us, much to the delight of our overworked air conditioning units and similarly overworked pocketbooks. Now we look forward to the crisp days of FALL and delightfully chilly winter nights. Get your hot cocoa and scarves ready and callous your fingertips for their new winter job—constantly raising and lowering your thermostat.
If the thought of playing yo-yo with your thermostat or standing guard against tinkering family members sends literal shivers down your spine, it’s time to check out the latest craze in home climate control—the connected thermostat. These handy devices are receiving tons of press, not to mention venture capital, and for good reason. They are an excellent way to keep your energy bills fit as a fiddle and keep your home at its most comfortable.
Data analyzers
There are several features to look for when you are selecting a connected thermostat. First, many models feature learning capabilities that analyze data over a period of time to predict trends in temperature preferences. For example, if you leave for work, turn up the thermostat to save energy, then come home and turn it back down, your smart thermostat will remember that and begin to do it for you automatically. If the temperature dips as the sun goes down and you tend to crank the heat, the thermostat will, again, adjust itself based on this pattern. This means that controlling your climate becomes a non-issue. Your thermostat does all of the adjusting for you.
Anytime, anywhere control
You will also want to consider a connected thermostat that you can control wirelessly. Now that the smart phone and tablet serve as veritable remote controls for your home, remote operation of your heating and air conditioning is very affordable—not something you’d only see on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Connected thermostats are super-efficient because you can power down your system altogether when you aren’t at home, then power it back up before you arrive home for the ultimate in energy savings—not to mention a cozy home upon arrival. Better yet, look for a thermostat with GPS capabilities that can actually sense when you are getting close to home and set the temp to your preferred level.
Works well with others
One of the most important features of a connected thermostat is its ability to integrate with the rest of your automation system—either now or in the future. You want your thermostat to have the ability to communicate with other systems and your control interface so they can work together. For example, if you are coming home from a trip at night during a snowstorm, we can automate your home so that when you arrive, the lights are set to predetermined levels, the house is heated to a comfy 73 degrees and the Jacuzzi is nice and hot.
This type of remote functionality can be added to other everyday functions such as your security system or motorized drapes. We’d love to help you get control of your energy bills by installing a climate solution. Just stop in or give us a call— we assure you that a connected thermostat will pay for itself over time!