For the last few years, smart technology has helped us do everything from track our personal workouts to vacuum our living rooms without a lot of effort. With all this potential, it is only fitting for smart technology to help us make our home comfort systems more efficient. If you’re looking for a way to reduce 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 the same. 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 allow you even more control over your home’s comfort system. Using your smart phone and a compatible app, you can alter your home’s temperature wirelessly, no matter where you are located. That means you can adjust it if anything unforeseen happens—whether you’re away from home longer than you thought or the temps take a sudden turn. That control, plus the energy usage reports your smart model provides, can help you improve your home’s efficiency.
If you are looking for additional benefits, there are smart thermostats that are even more advanced. Depending on what you want 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 preferred setting? iComfort® systems hold the temperature in your home within a half degree of what you set the thermostat to.
- Should it spot your location to automatically adjust temperatures when you are gone? iComfort’s Smart Away™ mode detects your location using your phone and adjusts the temperature when you leave. When you’re heading home, the system adjusts again to make sure you’re comfortable when you enter the home.
- Should your device consider outdoor temperatures and humidity? The iComfort Feels Like™ feature takes weather conditions like temperature and humidity into account while adjusting the comfort level in your home. That way, 72 degrees always feels like 72 degrees—regardless of what it’s like outside.
- Should it operate with your other smart devices? Some smart thermostats work 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 meets your needs? The pros at Tri City Fuel & Heating Co., Inc. can help you get on the right path to home comfort. You can reach us us at 803-265-4208 to an appointment with us. We can answer any questions you have and walk you through the options for your home comfort system.