It’s hot outside. Seriously, it’s sweltering. Who wants to come home to a hot house after being out in the heat all day? Not me. But leaving your AC blasting all day is expensive. You need a smart thermostat.
Smart thermostats are small computerized devices that can help you save money and keep your home cool all summer long. They learn your schedule and adjust automatically so you’ll never walk into an uncomfortable house again. You can control them with your phone too!
If you’ve been considering a smart thermostat upgrade but aren’t sure where to start, read on! We’re going over everything you need to know about smart thermostats and how they improve home cooling efficiency.
What Is a Smart Thermostat?
A smart thermostat is pretty much what it sounds like: an intelligent thermostat. They connect to your heating and cooling system via Wi-Fi just like any other thermostat. The difference is these thermostats connect to your phone and are managed using an app.
Most smart thermostats can also connect to voice assistants like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It allows you to control cooling settings with voice commands.
Where smart thermostats really shine, however, are their built-in learning features. Many models come equipped with sensors that monitor your daily activity and automatically start adjusting temperatures on their own.
They’ll learn your wake-up time, when you leave for work, and when you return home every day. Over time, the thermostat will use this data to automatically cool your home before you wake up or walk in the door. When no one is home, your smart thermostat will work to conserve energy instead of cooling an empty house.
There are many different smart thermostats on the market today. The three most popular models are the Google Nest Learning Thermostat, the Ecobee Smart Thermostat, and the Honeywell Home T9. Although each model has different features, they all offer the same basic benefits.
How Do Smart Thermostats Improve Cooling Efficiency?
A smart thermostat can help you save money on energy costs. Heating and cooling your home accounts for nearly 46 percent of the average household’s energy usage. If you leave your air conditioning blasting all day or run it on a basic timer, you’re wasting a lot of electricity.
Smart thermostats help you use less energy when cooling your home each month. Let’s take a closer look!
Location-Based Controls
Many smart thermostats have a geofencing feature. With this feature enabled, your thermostat uses your phone’s location to determine when you leave and return home. If you have geofencing enabled, your smart thermostat will sense when you’re leaving for work and begin conserving energy.
When you leave home, your thermostat will wait until you’re nearly back inside to start cooling your home down. This way, you’re not cooling an empty house all day. But you’ll come home to a cool, comfortable home because your thermostat knows you’re coming!
Detailed Energy Usage Reports
Did you know your energy bill doesn’t actually break down how much energy you used each month? You’ll be provided with a total dollar amount you spent on energy, but no monthly usage report.
Smart thermostats give you access to daily, weekly, and monthly energy usage reports. These detailed breakdowns allow you to see exactly how much energy you’re using at any given time. Not only does this make it easier to spot abnormal usage, but it can also highlight patterns you can change to save even more energy. Some thermostats will even provide helpful tips based on your energy usage.
Remote Controls
Still haven’t left for the airport on your vacation? No problem, just open your smart thermostat’s app and lower the temperature from your phone. Being able to adjust temperature settings remotely is another great way smart thermostats improve cooling efficiency.
You won’t have to worry about coming home to a hot house (or letting your house overheat while you’re gone). With remote controls, all temperature adjustments are made from your smart device. It’s that easy.
Scheduled Settings
You can easily program your thermostat to adjust to certain temperatures at various times of the day. Smart thermostats improve your home’s cooling efficiency by allowing you to set different temperatures for different times of the day.
Setting specific schedules for your thermostat is a simple way to save money on energy. You could even lower the temperature before you wake up so you’re welcomed by a nice cool house every morning. You normally set these adjustments on a classic thermostat too, but many people never take the time to do it. Smart thermostats make it easy (and some can automatically set the schedule for you).
But how cold should you keep your home? The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to approximately 78 degrees when you’re home. When you’re away from home or sleeping, it’s OK to set the thermostat several degrees higher. You can save about three percent on your cooling costs for every degree you set your thermostat above 72 degrees. That adds up to big savings over the summer!
Do Smart Thermostats Save Money?
Smart thermostats do save money. The Department of Energy’s Energy Star program even has some pretty convincing statistics. According to Energy Star, homeowners save an average of eight percent on heating and cooling costs by using a smart thermostat.
If you spend an average of $2,000 per year on home energy costs, eight percent equals $160. That’s how much you’ll save every year by using a smart thermostat!
Smart thermostats range in price from about $100 to $250. With the money you’ll save on energy costs each year, you should break even on your investment in one to two years. Every year after that is money in your pocket.
You may even be able to get a rebate from your local energy company if you install a smart thermostat. Many utility companies offer installation rebates that can get you $50-$100 back on most models. Call your provider and ask before you buy!
Ready to Keep Your House Cool?
Keeping your house cool during the summer doesn’t have to drain your bank account. If you upgrade to a smart thermostat, you’ll enjoy lower cooling bills all season long. Not only do smart thermostats improve home cooling efficiency, but they’re also crazy easy to set up.
You don’t need to spend your whole weekend wiring your new thermostat either. Most smart thermostats are incredibly simple to install. Once you’ve finished installing your smart thermostat, all you have to do is sit back and let it work for you.
Real-Life Example of Energy Savings From Smart Thermostats
An apartment building with 1,400 units installed occupancy-based smart thermostats as part of an HVAC upgrade in Manhattan, NY. This installed smart thermostats across multiple residential units within the building programmed with intelligent controls. These automatic controls helped adjust temperature settings based on occupancy patterns and resident schedules.
Real Results: The building cut electricity use by over 2.6 million kWh, earned back their investment in less than 10 months, saved money on utility bills, increased tenant comfort, and helped the HVAC equipment last longer due to decreased runtime and optimized cooling cycles.
Case Study: East River Multifamily Smart Thermostat Case Study
Answers to Common Questions About Smart Thermostats and Efficient Cooling.
Will smart thermostats save me money?
Yes. By automatically adjusting temperature settings and learning the occupants’ daily schedules, smart thermostats can minimize wasted heating and cooling. If you routinely forget to adjust the thermostat before leaving home, installing a smart thermostat can sense your home’s occupancy and reduce energy waste. Studies have shown smart thermostats can save homeowners around 8% on HVAC energy use.
Can smart thermostats lower my cooling bills?
How much you save depends on your current habits. For example, if you’re accustomed to leaving your cooling on full blast all day while you’re at work, a smart thermostat can offer the biggest savings. Installing a smart thermostat with features like scheduling, occupancy sensors and geofencing can make it easier to avoid cooling an empty house.
Are smart thermostats worth it?
Installing a smart thermostat can save most homeowners money over time due to lower energy bills. Along with HVAC savings, smart thermostats offer convenience through features like remote temperature control, automation, and energy usage reports.
Will a smart thermostat let me control my cooling from my phone?
Yes! That’s one of the benefits of installing a thermostat that connects to your home Wi-Fi network. With remote access to your smart thermostat, you can adjust your home’s temperature from your phone or tablet whenever you want – whether you’re away on vacation, at work all day, or just hanging out in another room.
Will a smart thermostat work with my air conditioner?
Yes. Smart thermostats are designed to work with most HVAC systems including central air conditioners, heat pumps, mini-splits, and more. If you don’t know what type of cooling system you have, you can consult your thermostat’s compatibility guide to help you determine which models will work with your home.
How does geofencing work with smart thermostats?
Geofencing allows your smart thermostat to track your location using your smartphone. When your smartphone leaves a predefined zone around your home (called a “geo fence”), your thermostat detects you as being away and can alter your temperature settings to reduce energy consumption. When you’re close to home again, your thermostat will sense you’re coming back and resume cooling your home beforehand.
Can smart thermostats help keep my house comfortable?
Definitely. Because smart thermostats continuously monitor indoor temperatures, your home will be cooled more efficiently than a traditional thermostat. They can also learn your daily schedule and preferences to help you avoid temperature swings and maintain a comfortable home at all times.
Will smart thermostats help my HVAC system last longer?
It’s possible. Because smart thermostats can decrease excess runtime and the number of heating and cooling cycles your HVAC equipment goes through each day, your heating and cooling equipment may experience less wear and tear. Over time, this could prolong the life of your HVAC system and could potentially reduce maintenance costs.
How are programmable thermostats different from smart thermostats?
Smart thermostats don’t require you to program your heating and cooling schedules. They learn your routines and comfort preferences automatically. They can connect to your home Wi-Fi network, send energy reports, and allow you to control them from your smartphone.
What features should I look for in a smart thermostat?
You’ll want to consider the following features when looking for a smart thermostat:
- Compatible with Wi-Fi
- Control thermostat with a smartphone app
- Energy monitoring and reports
- Geofencing capabilities
- Compatibility with voice controls
- Learning capabilities and automation features
- Works with your HVAC system
- Easy to install
Installing a smart thermostat with these features can simplify home cooling and help you reduce energy waste.
