Spring into Savings with a New Smart Thermostat
It felt like winter wasn’t going to end, but it’s here. After a winter with very little snow and temperatures that bounced around and tossed in a few arctic blasts, warmer, sunnier days will follow. Now is the perfect time to celebrate the end of another winter with a new smart thermostat. Air Blue wants you to know that this is one of the smartest, most affordable home upgrades for homeowners to consider.
Take a Closer Look at the Benefits of Smart Thermostats
You get more than a digital thermostat when you buy a smart thermostat. Sure, it has a digital display and fancier options, but it also helps lower your heating bills. Plus, if you have a much older thermostat, they often contain mercury, a heavy metal that can cause health issues if the mercury gets out. Explore the different benefits of a smart thermostat.
- Energy Reductions – Because smart thermostats continually monitor your habits, when your system runs, and what your preferred comfort levels are, you save money on heating and cooling bills.
- Geofencing: The smart thermostat knows when you leave the house for a longer amount of time and when you return, allowing it to adjust the temperature accordingly and help you save money.
- Heating and Cooling Analytics: The smart thermostat’s technology continually analyzes how you use your heating and cooling system, what your usual schedule is, and finds ways for you to save on fuel consumption and energy use.
- Smart Home System Integration: Connect your smart thermostat to your smart home devices to allow for voice control.
- System Alerts – Get notified if your home’s indoor temperature rises too high or drops too low.
Your smart thermostat could protect your health. Some smart thermostat models have built-in air quality detection and alert you if your air quality drops. You’ll know to turn on your air purifier, open a window, or take other appropriate actions. If it’s your air filter that needs changing, your smart thermostat lets you know.
Another newer feature of some smart thermostats is the ability to function like the keypad and base station for your home security system. Instead of having to run to a pad near the door, simply go to your nearest smart thermostat to stop an alarm or activate the system before going to bed or leaving your home for school, work, errands, or vacation.
Spring Is the Ideal Time for Installation
Why install a new smart thermostat in the spring? There are several reasons to take the plunge this season.
- HVAC technician demand isn’t as high as the heating season ends and before the air conditioning season begins.
- Some smart thermostat rebate programs expire at the end of the year or even sooner.
- Spring cleaning and home improvement projects are already in your plans.
- Summer’s AC season is going to be kicking in soon, putting high demand on your HVAC system’s cooling functions.
- Temperatures fluctuate greatly making it hard to tell if you’ll be running heat, AC, or have both turned off.
Tips for Choosing the Right Smart Thermostat
As there are so many different types of smart thermostats, you need to choose one that matches your specific needs. Use this checklist to help narrow your choices.
Budget
Start by narrowing your selections to the amount you can afford to pay. Your budget is the most important factor when buying a smart thermostat. See if your local power company offers rebates or instant savings on smart thermostats. You might find a pricier model is more affordable when there are discounts available to customers.
Compatibility
What type of HVAC system is in your home? Write down the make and model to ensure the smart thermostat you choose is compatible with your heating and air conditioning unit.
Ease of Use
How easy is the thermostat to use? Is there a learning curve or is the system designed to be simple to use? Make sure it’s not so advanced that you struggle to figure out how to use it.
Features
What features do you want most from your smart thermostat? Is a built-in air purification system important to you? Do you want it to have a keypad for your home security system or is that less important?
Do you need a smartphone app for monitoring your home’s climate when you’re at work? Is a display with the temperature enough or would you also like it to tell you your home’s humidity?
Installation and Set Up
While you’re welcome to install and set up a smart thermostat as a DIY project, some homeowners prefer to have a professional do the work. One benefit to professional installation is that it protects warranty coverage. Some companies have fine print stating that installation of items connected to or that are part of an HVAC system must be completed by a professional to avoid voiding the warranty.
Smart Home Integration
Finally, make sure that your new smart thermostat works with your smart home system. If you have a Google Home system, you need a smart thermostat that is compatible with whatever model you have. Older smart home systems may not work with all new smart thermostats or only support some of the features. There’s no point in purchasing a smart thermostat that won’t do everything you want.
The Future of Smart Thermostats and HVAC Systems
A smart thermostat is one part of the future landscape of home HVAC systems. Technology is constantly advancing, and AI can bring things to a level we never imagined. As technology improves and expands, get ready for bigger savings on your heating and cooling bills and heightened sustainability in the realm of heating and air conditioning.
If you think about where smart thermostats could be 10 or 20 years from now, it’s hard to imagine. Wouldn’t a smart thermostat that analyzes weather patterns be neat? The AI could analyze how different outdoor temperatures and weather conditions affect your home’s indoor temperature and make adjustments that match the changing weather.
You could have a smart thermostat that pairs with your smartwatch and knows when you’re exercising heavily and may want a cooler environment while you cool down. They could tell when your HVAC system is about to fail and alert your HVAC repair technician for you.
Make spring your time to invest in a smart thermostat. With a small investment, you gain seasons full of noticeable savings. You enjoy home comfort with system efficiency. It’s a win-win situation and Air Blue Heating and Cooling is happy to help you with a smart thermostat installation and other HVAC improvements that save money and lower your carbon footprint. Reach us online or by phone and find out about Wi-Fi thermostats and home automation services.
