Over the past several years, smart technology has helped us do everything from track our personal workouts to vacuum our living rooms without much effort on our end. With all these possibilities, it is only fitting for smart technology to help us make our home comfort systems more efficient. If you’re searching for a way to reduce your energy bills and have more control over your comfort at home, smart thermostats are the perfect place to start.
Smart thermostats operate much like a programmable thermostat. Standard programmable models allow you to change temperatures to use less energy when you are away from your house. Most of these thermostats let you set schedules for each day of the week, divide it between weekday and weekend programming or make everyday a consistent temp. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save up to 10 percent on your annual heating and cooling bill by using a programmable thermostat.
Smart thermostats give you even more control over your home’s comfort system. Using your smart phone and a compatible app, you can change your home’s temperature wirelessly, regardless of where you are. That means you can adjust it if anything surprising happens—whether you’re out of town longer than you thought or the weather suddenly changes. That control, combined with the energy usage reports your smart model makes, can help you improve your home’s efficiency.
There are smart thermostats with even additional features. Depending on what you desire your thermostat to be able to do, there are some different options:
- Should it keep the temperature in your home as close as possible to your requested setting? iComfort® systems maintain the temperature in your house within a half degree of what you set the thermostat to.
- Should it spot your location to intuitively adjust temperatures when you’re away? iComfort’s Smart Away™ mode distinguishes your location using your phone and adjusts the temperature when you leave. When you’re on your way home, the system adapts again to make sure you’re comfortable when you enter the home.
- Should your device take the weather conditions into consideration? The iComfort Feels Like™ feature takes weather conditions like temperature and humidity into account while managing the comfort level in your home. That way, 72 degrees always feels like 72 degrees—despite the outdoor conditions.
- Should it work with your other smart devices? Some smart thermostats connect with Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit. With voice commands, you can adjust your settings without leaving the couch.
Ready to find a smart thermostat model that makes your life easier? The pros at Farnell Mechanical, Inc. can help you get started. Call us at 334-524-2458 to an appointment with us. We can answer any questions you have and walk you through the options for your home comfort system.