The Science Behind Programmable and Smart Thermostats in Nokomis, FL
With energy costs continuously on the rise, a smart thermostat is a great way to manage your heating and cooling bills at home in Nokomis, FL. It’s a relatively modest investment that can lead to significant benefits each year. Here’s a quick look at some of the basics of smart thermostats for home or business use.
What’s a Smart Thermostat?
Your heating and cooling contribute to at least half of each month’s energy costs, so it’s always a good idea to look for ways to reduce your consumption. A smart thermostat is a generic term that refers to any thermostat that allows you to remotely control or program your home’s heating system through a wireless connection or a smartphone app.
A smart thermostat offers all of the same programming capabilities of a conventional programmable digital thermostat. Plus, it comes with a lot of enhanced features to help you customize your settings and maximize your savings.
How Does a Smart Thermostat Operate?
Your smart thermostat consists of a piece of hardware that connects directly to your HVAC system and software to control the thermostat remotely using your smartphone or mobile device. The thermostat connects to your heating and air conditioning just like a conventional thermostat. You’ll also need to download the manufacturer’s smartphone app.
In addition to basic smart thermostat models, you can purchase smart thermostats with AI or learning capabilities. Most models offer zoned controls for larger homes. Some smart thermostats can even monitor and adjust the temperature automatically as you and your family enter and leave rooms, which is great if you’re not very tech-savvy.
You generally get what you pay for when you purchase higher-end models, but the most expensive thermostat model isn’t always necessarily the best for your home. Do your research to make a smart buy.
Are Smart Thermostats Superior to Other Types?
Old-fashioned analog thermostats used a coil that would expand or contract in response to the temperature in the home. As the coil moved, a small drop of mercury would move in a sealed tube to open or close an electrical circuit and cycle the unit on or off.
The technology is pretty brilliant but definitely not precise. Basic digital thermostats make analog thermostats obsolete, and most of the newer thermostats are also programmable.
A programmable thermostat automatically raises or lowers your household temperature while you’re at work or asleep. Some manufacturers also make extraordinary claims about energy savings.
Unfortunately, achieving those savings with a conventional programmable thermostat is challenging. You have to carefully monitor your usage and learn how to program the unit. If you struggled with programming your VCR in the past, you might face similar challenges programming a conventional digital thermostat.
Smart thermostats can do everything that a conventional thermostat can do, plus a whole lot more. You can operate them remotely using your smartphone or your voice-operated home automation system such as Google Home or Alexa.
Smart thermostats are far more intuitive to use than they have ever been. Many thermostats can also generate energy usage reports to monitor your savings.
Is a Smart Thermostat Right for My Home?
A smart thermostat is definitely a sound investment if you need to replace a thermostat. An Energy Star-rated smart thermostat can save you approximately 8% on your average heating and cooling costs.
It’s also a reasonably priced upgrade that offers a lot of additional conveniences. You can keep track of your energy consumption and make changes on the fly no matter where you are.
Custom Air & Plumbing is a Trane Comfort Specialist, and our NATE-certified service technicians can help you with all of your HVAC and plumbing needs. Contact us for a new thermostat or HVAC installation in Nokomis, FL.
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