Modern smart thermostats are so much more than Wi-Fi-capable digital thermostats. These devices can make your home more comfortable while saving you money and aiding the environment. Better yet, they can do it all automatically with little to no manual control from you. Let’s explore the significant differences a smart thermostat can make for your home’s HVAC system.
1. Enhanced Home Comfort
Smart thermostats are precise and allow you to dial in your perfect settings for comfort. They often support multiple remote sensors. That array gives you a more accurate reading than one centrally located sensor. Additional sensors also let you track comfort factors like relative humidity (RH) and indoor air quality (IAQ). Many systems support “feels like” settings. This allows you to set your system based on how you want to feel rather than a specific temperature. The thermostat will adjust temperature and RH accordingly. If you have a zoned HVAC system, your smart thermostat will let you control its zones independently. You could, for instance, enjoy lower temperatures where you sleep and higher ones where you’re active.
2. Remote Monitoring and Control
One of the main advantages of a smart thermostat is that you’re not limited to the physical interface mounted on your wall. You can monitor and control the thermostat from a wide range of devices, including a voice-activated virtual assistant while sitting on your couch. You can also check and adjust the thermostat from your smartphone while at work or running errands. It will even let you put the system in vacation mode while you’re already out on the road or waiting for your flight.
This connectivity via the internet works both ways. Your smart thermostat can also send information to your devices. It can push a notification that the HVAC filter needs changing or it’s time to schedule a seasonal tune-up. Many units can inform you about energy usage and temperature trends. Some can even warn you about power outages and drastic upcoming weather changes.
3. Lower Heating and Cooling Costs
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) encourages all homeowners to consider a smart thermostat because of the potential savings. The DOE conservatively estimates that the average household can reduce annual cooling and heating costs by 10%. Some studies have shown that many homeowners can save as much as 12% on heating and 15% on cooling over the course of a year. The main way you do this is by increasing or decreasing your home’s temperature from your comfortable setting for extended periods. To achieve 10% savings, the DOE says you only need to change it by 7–10 degrees for eight hours a day.
All smart thermostats support what the industry calls scheduling or programming. This feature lets you set up a schedule through which your thermostat will automatically adjust settings. It can drop the temperatures 7 degrees an hour before your bedtime and turn it back an hour before you wake. You can have your thermostat do this while you’re away at work as well.
There are also many advanced features that make scheduling even more powerful and convenient. Smart thermostats often have smart setback. This feature monitors and optimizes energy usage during the transitional periods. Geofencing lets your thermostat track you via your phone. If you leave for work early, it can detect that and adjust the temperature accordingly. Many smart thermostats have learning capabilities as well and can make adjustments based on how you actually use the system.
4. Smaller Household Carbon Footprint
HVAC systems are the No. 1 contributor to the household carbon footprint of American homes. In fact, electricity-powered HVAC is a growing global concern. Air conditioning alone now generates more greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the world’s entire aviation industry. Experts expect air conditioning to become the top cause of GHG in the 2030s.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages homeowners to choose an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat. Independent labs have tested and certified these thermostats to deliver energy savings based on real field data. If every household in the country upgraded to an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat, it would reduce annual GHG emissions by 13 billion pounds. Project Drawdown also estimates that this would reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 6.91–7.25 gigatons by 2050.
5. Longer Equipment Lifespan
An HVAC system is a big investment. Maximizing the lifespan of your equipment is an important part of the equation for homeowners. A smart thermostat helps you do that. One way it does is through decreased wear and tear on your system. If your system doesn’t have to work as hard many hours every day, that makes a dramatic difference over the years. The challenge with an aging system is whether it’s still energy efficient. If you have a 20-year-old AC that runs 25% less efficiently than a new model would, it’s best to replace it. Many smart thermostats provide you that information so that you can make replacement decisions based on their data.
6. Reduced Repair Costs and Frequency
A smart thermostat can also reduce your repair costs, lower the frequency of repairs and give you more control. Reminding you to replace your HVAC filter may seem like a small thing, but it can be a big deal over the life of a system. Some advanced systems can even remind you based on a static air pressure reading rather than an estimate. Likewise, many of the new HVAC systems have smart features through their control boards. If the smart thermostat supports it, the control board can relay information to it. Consider a smart thermostat that can notify you that your condenser pump or other component is operating outside optimal parameters. You can schedule an HVAC technician to service your equipment long before that issue becomes a serious and expensive problem.
7. Track Energy Usage
Another way that smart thermostats benefit you and your HVAC system is through energy monitoring. Rising energy consumption is often the first sign that you’re experiencing an HVAC problem. Unfortunately, a homeowner may not notice that change for a month or even longer. Smart thermostats that monitor and track energy consumption can alert you to those changes much more quickly.
These systems can also analyze your daily, weekly, monthly and annual energy usage and build reports. Such capabilities have become even more sophisticated through cloud computing. Energy reports help you identify equipment problems. They also identify where your household is saving energy and where it’s being wasteful. That lets you make changes for even better performance.
Smart Thermostat Installation in Northern California
For over a decade, Environmental Heating & Air Solutions has been a trusted HVAC company serving Roseville and communities throughout Northern California. Our HVAC team installs, replaces, maintains and repairs furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners and ductless mini splits. We have ductwork installation and repair specialists, and we clean and seal ducts. Our company specializes in zoned systems, house and attic fans, air purification systems, dehumidifiers and humidifiers. Our plumbers install and service traditional water heaters, tankless water heaters, and heat pump water heaters. We also perform energy audits, install home automation systems and components and insulate houses.
To schedule an appointment or get answers to questions about our services, contact us at Environmental Heating & Air Solutions today. Check out our product offerings here!
