Programmable vs. Smart Thermostats
The type of thermostat you have can make a big difference in how high your heating and air conditioning costs are than you may realize. If you’re still controlling your HVAC system with an old manual thermostat, upgrading to a programmable or Wi-Fi smart thermostat will save you money. Nonetheless, you should be aware of the important differences between the two. In this article, we’ll compare the two and show you why installing a smart thermostat in your home can pay off.
Benefits of Programming Your Thermostat
Programming your thermostat so that the temperature automatically changes at different times is the easiest way to reduce the cost of heating and cooling your home. It can also potentially increase the lifespan of your HVAC system by limiting its runtime and thus reducing wear and tear. According to the US Department of Energy, setting your thermostat back so the temperature is around 7 to 10 degrees higher or lower for eight hours each day can save you as much as 10% on your annual heating and cooling costs. However, this is just an average.
Your savings could be higher or lower depending on the local climate, the type of heating and cooling unit you have, and the efficiency of your HVAC system. The only thing to understand is that it’s not the thermostat that saves you money. Instead, it’s merely the act of turning the temperature up during the summer and down during the winter so that your HVAC system doesn’t need to run as much when no one is home. That means you could achieve the same result with any thermostat if you adjusted the temperature before leaving for the day.
The issue in this case is that if you didn’t program your thermostat, you’d come home to a house that was not nearly as cool or warm as you wanted it to be.
Why Smart Thermostats Are Superior to Standard Programmable Thermostats
The main issue with standard programmable thermostats is that many people just adjust the temperature manually instead of using the thermostat correctly and programming different temperatures for different times of the day. That’s primarily why ENERGY STAR no longer certifies any programmable thermostats since they’re only proven to reduce energy usage if used correctly. Nonetheless, a decent number of ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostats have been independently tested and shown to provide tangible results in lowering a home’s heating and cooling bills.
Smart thermostats are great because they allow you to control your heating and air conditioning from any connected mobile device. This is extremely useful for improving your comfort and lowering your energy costs. For instance, if you get off work earlier than usual, you can use the thermostat app on your phone to turn the temperature back up or down to your standard setting. This ensures your house isn’t too warm or cold when you return. Similarly, you can change the settings if you’ll be home late so that your HVAC system continues to run less and doesn’t waste energy cooling or heating your house more than necessary when no one is there.
Part of the reason that installing an ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostat is such a great choice is that all of them require additional features that contribute to increased energy savings. An energy monitoring feature that allows you to easily see your HVAC system’s daily and monthly energy usage is necessary for a smart thermostat to earn an ENERGY STAR certification. You can then use this feature to lower your energy costs by making minor adjustments to your thermostat settings and checking their impact on the system’s energy usage. This feature also provides tips and information you can make to the thermostat settings that will make your HVAC system work more efficiently and further reduce how much energy it uses.
Another benefit of this feature is that it makes it much easier to know if your HVAC system is still working effectively. Suppose you notice that the energy usage is starting to be higher than usual, and you haven’t changed your thermostat settings. In that case, it’s a good indicator that you must get your HVAC system serviced or possibly repaired.
An Overview of “Learning” Thermostats and How They Work
Generally speaking, the best type of smart thermostat is what’s typically known as a learning thermostat. This type of thermostat is unique because it can work alongside other Wi-Fi smart devices and then use an algorithm to program itself around your desired temperature settings and your typical daily routines. For instance, the thermostat can connect to things like door sensors, smart locks, and motion sensors inside the house to determine when you go to bed, get up in the morning, leave for work, and get back home. Once it has this information, it will automatically set back the temperature when you’re away and asleep.
That means you’ll never again have to deal with the hassle of programming your thermostat since it will take care of itself. Of course, you can still use the app or the thermostat to adjust the settings as you wish or manually program the times you want the temperature to change. The other great thing about a learning thermostat is that it can also adjust as needed. Let’s say you end up staying up much later than usual during the winter. In this case, motion sensors in your house can tell the thermostat you’re still up so that it doesn’t turn your heating down until you finally go to bed.
Geo-fencing is another excellent feature that allows a smart thermostat to work more intuitively. It works by allowing the thermostat to interact with the GPS on your phone so that it knows where you are. You can program various boundaries or borders using the app, such as setting a line at your workplace. When you cross this line as you leave work, your phone will notify the thermostat so that it immediately switches to your typical temperature setting. Every person in your household can also use their phone to set similar boundaries. Depending on where you set the limits, you can ensure that the thermostat doesn’t turn your heating or AC down while running some errands and won’t be gone for long.
Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning Expert Technicians
Since 1987, Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning has provided reliable home services in Seattle, WA. We specialize in HVAC installation and can help if you want to upgrade your thermostat or replace your heating or air conditioning. You can also trust us for maintenance and repairs or if you need any help with your plumbing or electrical systems. Some of the plumbing services we offer are household plumbing services like repiping, leaks, and drain cleaning. And electrical services like electric panel repair and upgrades, rewiring, outlet and switches, EV charging stations, and much more. Contact us today to schedule a service appointment for indoor air quality and learn what makes Brennan Heating & Air Conditioning the most trusted home service company in the area.
