With the economic effects of this pandemic, every homeowner should find ways to save some cash, including in the way they use their home comfort systems. Given the fact that heating and cooling account for about half of your monthly energy costs, taking some steps to minimize your energy consumption is a prudent way to save money on utilities and repairs.
If you’re stuck with an old, analog thermostat, you are missing out on the energy-saving benefits of having a smart thermostat. Four Seasons Air Specialists is a trusted HVAC company in Grant MN. We offer an array of smart thermostats, designed to help you use energy more intelligently.
Overview
A thermostat’s job is to maintain the temperature in your home. Depending on the thermostat’s setting, it measures your home’s temperature and uses that information to initiate your HVAC system.
Technological advancements enable thermostats to do more than just activate your HVAC system. Also known as a connected or communication thermostat, a smart thermostat gives you the ability to create automatic and programmable temperature settings based on your preferences, daily weather conditions, and your home’s heating and cooling needs.
Features like a LED touchscreen display, Wi-Fi compatibility, self-learning capacity, and connectivity to smartphones are just some of the modern conveniences a smart thermostat offers.
Benefits of Using a Smart Thermostat
Upgrading to a smart thermostat offers a number of benefits, one of which is the ability to learn your family’s daily patterns and make the appropriate adjustments on your home’s temperature. Such a feature eliminates the need for manually setting the thermostat based on the time of day or the outdoor temperature. The thermostat will remember your heating or cooling preferences and make sure you get home to a comfortable living space.
If you’re always at home and diligently monitoring and using your thermostat, you may not have as considerable savings as someone who is out for several hours per day and just wants the thermostat to smartly control your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. The device instinctively makes the necessary changes to minimize your energy usage without you having to manually modify the settings. With the use of a connected Wi-Fi enabled devices such as a smartphone or a tablet, you can take total control over your thermostat even while you’re away.
Certain smart thermostat models have an auto environmental adjustment feature that has the ability to detect variations in the environment such as humidity and adjust the settings automatically. This ability avoids the need for cranking up the thermostat in these situations, which can cause an increase in your utility costs.
This automatic temperature control results in greater energy-efficiency, since it reduces the use of heating and cooling systems when everybody is away. The Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program estimates that a home that uses a smart thermostat can save up to $180 per year on heating and cooling costs. Upgrading to a smart thermostat sure involves an upfront cost, but it does pay for itself over time.
Certain thermostat models automatically switch to an eco mode when you’re away, allowing you to intuitively save energy. This benefit is achieved by the use of sensors that distinguish when someone is at home or when everyone has left and there’s no movement in the house.
Another energy-saving feature found in certain smart thermostats is geofencing, which may also be used to know when your phone is out of range of your home, instructing your system that it’s okay to switch to an eco setting. When you’re away for extended periods, you can turn the system off and your smart thermostat will only turn it on when temperatures get excessively high or low, preventing potential damages like frozen water pipes.
Also, a smart thermostat allows you to have real-time access to your HVAC system’s data. It gives you up-to-date energy consumption estimates, as well as monthly, quarterly, or yearly data.
Ask the Energy-Saving Experts
To get more information about smart thermostats and their ability to help lower your monthly energy costs, call Four Seasons Specialists. Our home comfort experts are standing by to answer your questions and make appropriate recommendations. We are your legitimate Mahtomedi heating and air conditioning company.
