To borrow a line from Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song, “you’ve heard it said many times, many ways,” that a smart thermostat will save you money. But before you add this device to your wishlist, consider carefully if it’s worth the cost.
A smart thermostat can help cut your energy bill, but it comes with a steep upfront price (upwards of $200). Whether or not it will pay for itself, in the long run, will depend on if you take full advantage of its functionality.
How a Smart Thermostat Works
Like Santa Claus, a smart thermostat sees you when you’re sleeping and knows when you’re awake. This device learns your daily patterns and automatically adjusts to an economical setting to save you cash. At night, it will throttle down the temperature several degrees and change back to your preferred setpoint before you wake up.
Its geofencing technology also keeps tabs on your whereabouts by syncing with your phone. It’ll drop the temperature while you’re away and by the time you get back, your home will be just as comfortable as you left it.
For added convenience, you can adjust the temperature remotely from your smartphone.
Ok, So How Does Any of This Save Me Money?
You can cut your annual heating costs by as much as 10% by lowering your thermostat 7 to 10 degrees from your preferred temperature. A smart thermostat achieves this by making adjustments during the times you won’t notice. Some major smart thermostat brands claim to save even more through other features that squeeze every last ounce of efficiency out of your central heating system.
But Doesn’t a Programmable Thermostat Do the Same Thing?
A manual programmable thermostat will achieve similar savings if you bother to program it. Most of us don’t. It can be difficult to create a heating schedule with an analog thermostat. Convenience is a smart thermostat’s primary selling point.
Bottom line: If you love gadgets and analyzing data (smart thermostats offer reams of information on your energy consumption so that you can make minor tweaks for further savings), this device is the way to go. And you’ll be able to dial in cost-effective comfort with the sleek smartphone interface. Otherwise, a programmable thermostat will do the job if you take the time to learn how to use it.
For all of your heating needs this winter, turn to the heating specialists at Gillece Services. To schedule your appointment, call (412) 831-6199.
