Smart thermostats take the convenience and energy-saving benefits of a programmable thermostat one step further. They allow you to control your home’s environment remotely, with wireless connectivity, user-friendly interfaces, online access and various mobile apps.
The top smart thermostats offer three main benefits:
- Wi-Fi connection: Smart thermostats are programmable from any computer or smartphone. This is great if you forget to reset your programmable thermostat when you leave home either just for a day or the weekend, or change your schedule and must be at home when you normally wouldn’t be. They also allow you to monitor energy usage and savings.
- Learning capabilities: The latest in smart thermostat technology introduces learning capabilities that allow the thermostat to make adjustments based on your habits and preferences. This means that if you are usually home at 6 p.m. and adjust the thermostat to a cooler temperature, it will learn to do this on its own. Some models also contain sensors for adjusting to humidity, motion and light.
- Smart grid capabilities: Smart grids are an advanced technology used by your Ohio utility company to make your power system more reliable. They also allow you to use power as efficiently as possible with a smart meter. A smart meter installed at your home by your power company supplies you with real-time details of your power usage and allows them to track your usage without sending a meter reader. You can use your smart meter with your smart thermostat to track your energy usage and make adjustments in order to save money. Tracking your usage will allow you to identify when and how you are using your energy and decide where you can make adjustments in order to improve your energy consumption. These adjustments can be made using your smart thermostat through your Wi-Fi connection.
For more information on smart thermostats in the Dayton area, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. We have been at the leading edge of home comfort technology for more than 30 years and can assist you in finding the best smart thermostat system for your needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about smart thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
