As we prepare for the blistering summer heat in the Tri-Cities desert, you are probably looking into creative ways to be prepared to keep your home cool and comfortable. You also are eying your energy costs and want to make sure your HVAC doesn’t cause your utility bills to skyrocket. There is also the factor of convenience, relying on smart technology, when possible, to program your HVAC in timely ways to conserve energy usage. This is where smart thermostats come in. Smart thermostats have grown in popularity in recent years, but have you ever thought ‘is a smart thermostat worth buying?’ After you have enjoyed the ease and convenience of programming your HVAC to suit your personal needs, any other type of thermostat will seem primitive in comparison.
What is a Smart Thermostat?
A smart thermostat, also known as a connected or communicating thermostat, enables you to create automatic and programmable temperature settings based on daily schedules. You can also program your temperature settings according to weather conditions, as well as your heating and cooling needs. Keep in mind that there are some Wi-Fi thermostats that have this advanced functionality, but not all do.
In addition to giving you the option of controlling your heating and cooling in your home or office, smart thermostats also allow you to do so remotely. In comparison, a standard thermostat just allows you to adjust the temperature via a control panel on the wall from somewhere in your home. A smart thermostat gives you many more flexible options so you can adjust the temperature practically anywhere.
If you are like most of us, you lead a busy life and you will not always have an opportunity to adjust your HVAC unit because you often find yourself away from home. As we will get more into later, a smart thermostat enables you to program your energy system when you are away from home. Also with a smart thermostat, you are able to program your settings for specific rooms in your home based on where you spend the most time for specific times of the day.
You probably don’t want to arrive at a hot and uncomfortable home when you return home from work. No problem there. Use your smart thermostat to set the temperature you want certain rooms in your home to be before your get home, on your smartphone! A smart thermostat gives you the ultimate flexibility by enabling you to turn on and off your HVAC unit based on your personal schedule, as well as the current weather, and even when a particular number of people are in your home.
In addition to these customization features, smart thermostats provide you with important and relevant details about your energy usage patterns. You will find out how much energy it requires to keep your home cool on a hot summer day or warm during a typical winter day. What’s more, there are some smart thermostats that can compare your AC and heater use to the average household in your neighborhood that includes useful updates that tell you how much more energy you are saving or spending.
Many Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats record your habits and preferences over time. This makes it possible for you to have your smart thermostat set a schedule for you over the course of a couple of weeks. And if it is too hot in your house, simply open the app and turn the air conditioning up so it is more comfortable when you return home.
Because smart thermostats are Wi-Fi connected, they switch to eco-friendly temperature settings when they sense that you are away – either via a sensor in the unit or by using your smartphone location.
Is a Smart Thermostat Worth Buying?
Smart thermostats are designed to save the average consumer money. When it comes to how much money and how quickly, that depends on your energy usage habits.
When you had a standard thermostat, if you made a concerted effort to reprogram your thermostat every couple of months, for instance, turning the controls off when you leave the home, and, for the most part, trying to keep your house slightly warmer in the summer and colder in the winter, then a smart thermostat might take longer to pay for itself. However, if you were not so meticulous, you should save enough to cover the cost of a new smart thermostat within the first year or two.
Because technology changes so frequently and bringing with it innovative, new advancements, smart thermostats can be quite affordable. For example, every iteration of smart thermostat technology is more intuitive, user-friendly, and normally more cost-effective. When it comes down to it, smart thermostats are manufactured to save people like you money with greater efficiency and more flexibility.
Smart thermostats not only provide easy opportunities to make cost-cutting habit changes, but they also give an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look into your actual energy usage.
In essence, smart thermostats level the playing field for the average HVAC user.
Look to Apollo Heating and Air Conditioning for Expert Maintenance of Your HVAC
Look to the HVAC experts at Apollo to ensure your energy system is in excellent condition and operating at optimal efficiency so you can stay cool and comfortable this summer. Our experienced team of highly trained technicians will work with you and exceed your expectations during HVAC repairs and AC unit replacements.
Apollo field technicians will work closely with you in deciding what HVAC system is the best, and tailor it to fit your unique needs and preferences! We are committed to delivering premium quality HVAC service, maintenance, products, and documentation in Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, and beyond!
Learn more by contacting Apollo Heating and Air Conditioning! Call us at (509) 396-COLD (2653).
