For the last few 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 this potential, it is a no-brainer for smart technology to help us make our home comfort systems more efficient. If you’re searching for a way to lower your energy bills and be able to regulate your indoor comfort, smart thermostats are an ideal place to start.
Smart thermostats work much like a programmable thermostat. Standard programmable models allow you to change temperatures to use less energy when you’ll be away or asleep. Most of these thermostats let you set schedules for every day during 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 installing 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 adjust your home’s temperature wirelessly, no matter where you are located. That means you can adjust it if anything unexpected happens—whether you’re gone longer than you thought or the weather suddenly changes. That control, plus the energy usage reports your smart model makes, can help you increase your home’s energy efficiency.
Some smart thermostats models have even more benefits. Depending on what you desire your thermostat to be able to do, there are several options:
- Should it keep the temperature in your home as close as possible to your desired setting? iComfort® systems keep the temperature in your space within a half degree of what you set the thermostat to.
- Should it detect your location to instinctively adjust temperatures if you aren’t home? iComfort’s Smart Away™ mode knows your location using your phone and adjusts the temperature when you leave. When you’re driving home, the system adjusts again to make sure you’re comfortable when you enter the home.
- Should your device adjust to meet the climate? 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—regardless of what it’s like outside.
- Should it work with your other smart devices? Some smart thermostats work with Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit. With voice commands, you can adjust your settings without getting up.
Ready to find a smart thermostat model that meets your needs? The pros at 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. can help you get started. You can reach us us at 949-204-0859 to an appointment with us. We can answer any questions you have and walk you through the options for your home comfort system.