Energy-Efficient Smart Thermostats: How Do They Work?

Energy-efficient smart thermostats are those sleek and cool-looking devices with the digital LED displays used to control your air conditioning and heating system. They are very different from those “old-school” dial thermostats, where you turn the dial to set the temperature you want inside your home.

They are also an upgrade from programmable thermostats that feature basic LED displays, similar to old cell phones. One of the key differences between smart thermostats and dial-style and programmable models is they connect to the internet. This feature helps you tap into a wide range of features and benefits to further expand the functionality of the thermostat.

Energy-Efficient Smart Thermostats – Features and Benefits

Besides being able to control the thermostat from the interface on the wall like conventional thermostats, smart thermostats also include:

• Access through a smartphone/tablet app. Each smart thermostat manufacturer offers an app so you can access the settings in your home from anywhere you have an internet connection. For instance, you could adjust the settings a few degrees cooler or warmer than you had programmed earlier in the day before coming home from work. Alternatively, if you happen to leave for a vacation and forget to set the thermostat to “vacation mode”, you could do it from your phone without having to turn back.
• Smart thermostats integrate with voice-activated personal assistants. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant can both be taught the appropriate “skill” to interface with smart thermostats. Imagine you just sat down to eat dinner and you are hot. Instead of having to get up to turn down the thermostat, you just ask Alexa or Assistant to do it for you.
• Smart thermostats learn your routine. With the right setup, smart thermostats use AI (artificial intelligence) to learn your routines to know when you are home or away. This feature allows the device to adjust temperature levels based on your previous preferences.
• Smart thermostats can control multiple zones. In larger homes that have two or more separate heating and cooling units, a single smart thermostat can be configured to control the settings for each system or zone.

Additionally, certain models can track your energy usage, as well as build an energy profile for your home. Best of all, smart thermostats can connect to other devices like smart dehumidifiers and smart humidifiers and also control those devices.

How Does Smart Thermostat Installation Save Money on Energy Bills?

With a traditional dial-style thermostat, your home is cooled or heated constantly at that same setting. Most people are away from home between 8 to 10 hours each day. Do you really need to keep your home cooled or heated to the same setting all day? Not necessarily.

Just like a programmable thermostat, a smart thermostat can be programmed to change the temperature settings so you use less energy to cool or heat your home when you are away. Unlike programmable thermostats, smart thermostats can automatically make temperature changes even if you forget to program or change them yourself.

Another way smart thermostats help save you money is they can be configured to track your local weather conditions. If the weather ends up being hotter or colder than you anticipated, the thermostat will adjust your home’s cooling and heating settings to match the weather.

To learn more about energy-efficient smart thermostats, installation, or to upgrade to one when getting new AC installation, please feel free to contact your nearest Christianson Air Conditioning & Plumbing location in Temple, New Braunfels, San Antonio or Austin Metro today!

Tags: Energy Efficient Smart Thermostats, Smart Thermostat Installation