Are smart thermostats a worthwhile investment? That’s a question many homeowners are asking these days, as this new breed of thermostat gains in popularity. Smart thermostats promise to save you money on your energy bills, but do they do the job better than the alternatives? Doc Dancer Heating & Air explains your thermostat options and highlights some desirable smart thermostat features to help you decide if they’re right for you.
Types of Thermostats
Before we answer are smart thermostats worth it, let’s first review the three basic categories of thermostats:
Manual Thermostats
A manual thermostat is the most basic type of thermostat, and it requires that you manually adjust the temperature settings. The advantage of a manual thermostat is that it is very affordable, and it is also very simple to use. You simply turn the dial to the desired temperature, and the unit will turn on or off as needed to maintain the set temperature. The downside of a manual thermostat is that you have to remember to adjust the setting as the seasons’ change, and you also have to physically adjust the unit if you want to change the temperature.
Programmable Thermostats
A standard programmable thermostat is more expensive than a manual thermostat, but it offers some significant advantages. First, you can program it to automatically adjust the temperature at certain times of day or night. This can be very convenient and can provide significant energy savings. Second, a programmable thermostat will allow you to set different temperatures for different days of the week. This can be handy if you work different hours on different days.
Smart Thermostats
If you’ve ever wished you could automatically adjust your home’s temperature depending on the time of day or whether anyone was home, then a smart thermostat is for you. While they are the most expensive option, they offer advantages you won’t find on other models. Unlike programmable and manual thermostats, smart thermostats can automatically adjust the temperature to save energy based on your schedule and habits. In addition, many smart thermostats can also detect when no one is home and make saving energy even more convenient than ever before. Smart thermostats also are connected to your smart devices through a smartphone app, so you can change the set temperature in your home from virtually anywhere.
Smart Thermostat Features
Installing a smart thermostat is a great idea if you’re looking for a way to save money by lowering your heating and cooling costs, but they also offer a number of other cool features that make them unique. Smart thermostats include a number of neat benefits and features that regular thermostats don’t.
- Smart thermostats come with built-in WiFi, allowing you to control them from your smart devices like your smartphone or tablet. This means you can adjust the temperature from virtually anywhere, which is perfect for those times when you forget to turn off the AC before leaving for work. If someone at your home has adjusted the temperature while you’re at work, you can easily correct it.
- Some smart thermostats also come with voice control, so you can simply tell it to turn on or off, or set the temperature to your desired level.
- If you have smart home devices throughout your home, you can often integrate your thermostat into it, so you can control all of your devices from one central location.
- The geofencing feature uses your phone’s GPS to automatically adjust your thermostat when you leave or return home.
- You can set up alerts to notify you if there’s a problem with your cooling or heating system. Doing so helps you stay on top of your heating and cooling system’s maintenance and repair needs.
- Not only can smart thermostats save on energy costs, but they can remind you when you’re due for maintenance to help you save on heating and cooling system repairs.
- Many smart thermostats connect with popular HVAC accessories too. Humidity sensors and air purifiers can be controlled from one device!
Call Doc Dancer to Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat Today
Smart thermostats are becoming increasingly popular, and it’s easy to see why. They offer a number of features that traditional thermostats simply can’t match. Smart thermostats also do a great job of managing your energy usage, helping you to save money on your utility bills. They can even learn your daily schedule and make adjustments accordingly.
If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your home’s heating and cooling system, a smart thermostat is definitely worth considering. Contact the Doc Dancer Heating & Air team today to learn more about are smart thermostats worth it and request a quote for installation.