As we enter the colder months, many of us dread having to heat our homes — or rather dread the cost of doing so. In fact, with energy prices on the rise, many of us are considering the benefits of installing one Best smart thermostats.
To illustrate this, AO.com (Opens in a new tab) , a major appliance retailer, found that searches for smart thermostats were up 140% month over month in the UK. But, if you are new to this technology, it can be very confusing to understand the difference a smart thermostat will make and the benefits it will provide.
That’s why we put together this feature to explain exactly how a smart thermostat works and how it can save you money on your energy bills. With one of these, you can still heat your home and not have to worry about receiving a hefty bill in the future. Here are 4 ways a smart thermostat can save you money on your bills.
1. Scheduling
With the smart thermostat, you can set exactly what temperature you want and when you want it, so you don’t have to manually adjust the dial every time you want a change. By doing this, you will not accidentally leave the temperature too high and waste your money while you are away from home. It is used to heat the house automatically as well, like first thing in the morning. If you’re not sure what’s the best temperature to use, some smart thermostats can automatically suggest and set the optimum temperature, giving you the best chance of saving energy.
Smart thermostats are even smarter than that. Some will actually learn from your habits and behaviors via the sensors. The Nest Learning Thermostat For example, it will “learn” when you are at home and when you are not, and automatically adjust the temperature. Not only does this save you the effort of making these adjustments yourself, but it preserves the use of your heating, making sure to only turn it on while you’re at home.
Speaking of which, if one day you forgot to turn off the heating when on vacation, you don’t have to worry with the smart thermostat. Thanks to the application’s connection, you can adjust settings remotely and save energy.
2. Special control room
If you find yourself stuck to only one or two rooms in the house, why heat the whole house? Some smart thermostats come with sensors that allow you to control the exact temperature you want in a particular room. This way, you can set some rooms hotter or cooler than others.
Our favorite smart thermostat, the Ecobee SmartThermostat Premium, even comes with sensors with motion detection, so the heating will only start when people enter the room — and the room will stop heating as soon as you leave. Ecobee Smart Sensors offer this technology, but keep in mind that it won’t come cheap if you’re dealing with multiple rooms. Cost per pack of Ecobee Sensors $79 from Amazon (Opens in a new tab) For example, you need one for each room you want to monitor.
3. Cost control
One of the best things about smart thermostats is the information and feedback they provide. By accessing the app, you can see exactly how much energy you are using and the difference a smart thermostat makes, giving you better control and understanding of your consumption.
This can help you find ways to reduce – for example, you can see how much energy can be saved by minor adjustments to the thermostat. When you try it, you can find the optimum temperature for better energy saving. Most smart thermostats, such as Ecobee 3 LiteHe will even recommend changes to help save money.
4. Clarity and comfort
With smart thermostats, adjusting the temperature of your home couldn’t be easier. You can make changes directly with a few taps on your phone, or even via voice control via Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri if the system is compatible. Because of this convenience, we have a better chance of paying attention and making necessary changes to save on our bills.
Even if you somehow forget to monitor your heating system every now and then, your model should be able to adjust settings automatically based on your habits. Essentially, smart thermostats provide clarity and convenience when it comes to heating our homes, and help us control our energy use.
What is a smart thermostat?
Like a traditional thermostat, the smart thermostat connects directly to the HVAC system to control the temperature. However, a smart thermostat will have additional capabilities: you will be able to control it remotely using your smartphone and connect it to other smart home devices. Plus, smart thermostats usually have more advanced scheduling features than dumb thermostats, with some even being able to automatically adjust the temperature based on whether it senses you’re home or away.
Because the smart thermostat is connected to an app, you can access a lot more information than you would otherwise. You can see your energy consumption, set schedules, and even find tips to reduce your usage. Some smart thermostats also come with sensors that can be placed in different rooms to set independent temperatures. Premium sensors can feature motion detection as well as air quality monitoring.
Ultimately smart thermostats are designed to give you better visibility and control of your HVAC system. You can easily control the heating to a precise degree, and the smart thermostat can even learn from your routine to make suggestions.
How much can you save with a smart thermostat?
Your energy savings will vary depending on your utility provider and the price they charge you for electricity or gas. However, if you choose to use a file Energy Star Certified (Opens in a new tab) This should save at least 8% on heating and cooling bills annually, which is roughly $50.
icobe (Opens in a new tab)On the other hand, it recorded significantly higher savings of up to 26% on heating and cooling bills for North American customers.
while Live (Opens in a new tab) Claims, “US Customers [saved] About 10-12% on heating bills and about 15% on cooling bills. We estimated average savings at between $131 and $145 per year, which means a Nest thermostat can pay for itself in less than two years.
In any case, there are savings to be made, so one of these devices is well worth the investment.
How much does a smart thermostat cost?
Top-tier smart thermostats, such as the Nest Learning Thermostat and Ecobee SmartThermostat Premium—which both look their best and have the most features—have the highest price, ranging from $200 to $250.
However, you can find other models, such as the Ecobee 3 Lite and Google Nest Thermostat for around $150; Other models, like the Amazon Smart Thermostat, are as cheap as $60, but they don’t have the capabilities of the higher-priced models.
If you’ve been turned off by the high price of a smart thermostat, it’s important to know that many utility companies offer discounts and incentives for buying a smart thermostat—in some cases you can even get one for free.
Make sure to check out Ecobee Discount Finder (Opens in a new tab) And the Nest Discount Finder (Opens in a new tab) To search for deals in your area, as well as check out your local facilities.
For more tips, tricks and how to do it, check out 12 essential energy bill saving tips and 15 water saving tips to lower your bill.
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