Your old, manual thermostat has done its job for years, but it’s not performing as well as it once did. Maybe the temperature readings are incorrect, the thermostat isn’t turning on or off like it should, or it’s just outdated. But even if you think your old thermostat is working fine, it’s likely that you’ll benefit from getting an upgrade. A possible solution is to upgrade to a smart thermostat that’s much more convenient than a manual thermostat.
What Makes a Thermostat Smart?
A traditional thermostat has several limitations when compared to its smarter counterpart. For example, a regular thermostat can signal the HVAC system to start or stop a heating or cooling cycle, and that’s about it. You have to adjust it manually if you want to change the temperature, which means it doesn’t do anything without your direct input. But a smart thermostat can adjust the temperature based on your habits and do much more without any manual input from you. A smart thermostat can even connect to Wi-Fi, which makes it even more useful.
If you’re still trying to decide if an upgrade is a wise decision, consider these five great reasons to upgrade to a smart thermostat.
1. Spend Less on Power Bills
Business Wire reports that US homeowners spend around 5% of their income on utility bills. For most homes, cooling and heating costs are a significant expense. One benefit of upgrading to a smart thermostat is the possibility of energy savings.
When you use a traditional thermostat, you set the temperature and it stays set until you adjust it. This means your HVAC system might provide heating or cooling when it’s not necessary. But, a smart thermostat can learn your schedule and adjust the temperature as needed. That eliminates unnecessary heating or cooling that can waste energy.
For example, a smart thermostat can adjust the temperature when you’re away from home. If you’re at work all morning during the winter, the thermostat can set a cooler temperature for your home. The home stays warm, but it’s maybe not as warm as you’d like when you’re home. But, the thermostat can adjust the temperature before you get home so that you walk into a home that’s the perfect temperature for you.
According to Energy Star, a smart thermostat can possibly save 8% or at least $50 on heating and cooling costs per year. But, this depends on where you live and your temperature preferences.
This is possible because a smart thermostat that has geofencing can tell when you’re approaching home. It knows when you’re close based on the location of your smartphone. And when the thermostat has learning algorithms, it can learn your habits and preferences.
2. Remote Control Away from Home
It’s annoying to leave home and realize you forgot to turn the thermostat down or up. With a traditional thermostat, you’re out of luck because you can’t adjust it without being at home. But with a smart thermostat, you can adjust the temperature from anywhere if you have a mobile app.
This control is beneficial, especially if you’re going on vacation. For example, you might go away for summer vacation and dread coming back to a sizzling hot house. With a smart thermostat, you can turn the air conditioning back on before you get home. That means you don’t have to leave it running while you’re away, which can waste energy. But, you can turn it on in time so that the house is cool when you get home.
3. Improve Your Comfort Without Effort
A smart thermostat does most of the work for you. You don’t need to spend a lot of time manually adjusting the temperature. When a smart thermostat learns your daily routine, it adjusts the temperature for you.
If you like a cool bedroom at night, even during the winter, the thermostat will automatically lower the heat around your bedtime. Or, maybe you like the bathroom extra warm when you get up for work during the winter. The thermostat will make sure to raise the heat when it’s time to start your morning. It takes a smart thermostat about a week to learn a schedule, but after that, it will recognize your preferences and make adjustments without any input from you.
4. Simplify Your Life
Having a smart thermostat makes your life easier. You forgot to turn the air conditioner off before you left for vacation? No problem, use your smartphone and the thermostat app to turn off the air conditioner from wherever you are. That’s much easier than spending your vacation fretting about the energy you’re wasting because you left the air conditioner running.
You can even get a smart thermostat that lets you know when it’s time to replace the air filter. Or, it will tell you when your HVAC system needs maintenance. When choosing your new thermostat, the packaging will list all its features and options.
5. Better for the Environment
If you have concerns about the environment and conserving energy, a smart thermostat is a good choice for you. Since this type of thermostat helps reduce energy consumption, it keeps you from being wasteful with your energy. It’s a simple way to reduce your carbon footprint and do your part to help the Earth.
You might want a smart thermostat that has certification from the Energy Star program. Energy Star is an energy saving program that rates items like thermostats and other appliances based on energy efficiency. The rating is on a scale of 1 – 100, with the higher score indicating better energy performance.
You can usually find the Energy Star label directly on the packaging or product. There’s also the Energy Star Product Finder website that allows you to search for products certified by the program.
Installation Process
Upgrading to a smart thermostat might sound complicated, but it’s generally a simple process. Typically, you can expect the upgrade to take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour when a professional HVAC technician does the job.
When you upgrade to a smart thermostat, you’re making a wise decision. Not only are you getting a thermostat that performs better, but you’re also improving your comfort, helping the environment, and making things more convenient for yourself.
Get in Touch With Landen Heating and Cooling Today!
If you’re still using an old, manual thermostat, then you’re missing out on all the convenience and benefits that a smart thermostat offers. Our Landen Heating and Cooling HVAC team can help with all your heating and cooling needs and upgrade your your thermostat. Our thermostat selection includes the Honeywell 7000 and 8000 series as well as Nest and Ecobee smart thermostats. We also have the Amana brand smart thermostat, which has advanced configuration, onboard diagnostics, and simplified control wiring.
Call us at Landen Heating and Cooling in Zebulon today, and we’ll get your new smart thermostat up and running as soon as possible. We also offer indoor air quality services!
