Keeping your Lincoln house comfy can require a lot of money. A typical family spends about $172 on monthly heating and cooling bills, according to ENERGY STAR®, or about $2,060 yearly. At least half of that goes to heating and cooling.
The majority of residences have programmable thermostats, but many people don’t bother to use them properly. The process is bothersome, involved and only provides you a few options for temperature settings. When your home is kept at the same temp throughout the day, it requires gas and electricity and adversely impacts your monthly bill.
Smart thermostats pick up on your routine and change the temperatures to match it. But can using one really save you money on heating and cooling? Yes, and here’s why.
Studies Show Smart Thermostats Decrease on Utility Expenses
Independent studies show these devices can lead to large savings.
These studies involved home heating and cooling costs in 41 states before and after adding a Nest smart thermostat. Nest said the study determined its thermostats can save up to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling, resulting in an approximated savings of $131 to $145 yearly.
With the typical smart thermostat priced between $100–$250, those savings can help it pay for itself. And many local energy companies have rebates for smart thermostats as they’re ENERGY STAR® certified.
How Does a Smart Thermostat Work?
After your smart thermostat is ready to go, you’ll at first set it just like any other thermostat. You’ll set it up and down, so the thermostat can figure out your preferences. Then, it will start developing a program that helps you save money, whether you’re at your residence or away. Because it geofences with your smartphone, you won’t have to remember to adjust it when you exit or come home.
Pros and Cons of Using a Smart Thermostat
Pros
As we talked about before, smart thermostats offer many advantages to your residence and heating and cooling expenses, like:
- No need to program—Your smart thermostat will learn your routine, so you won’t need to spend time setting programs or remember to change.
- Knows when you arrive and take off—Since lots of smart thermostats geofence with your phone, your residence will go into an energy-efficient setting when you leave and be comfy when you arrive.
- Remote temperature supervision—You’ll be able to watch your home’s temperature from just about anywhere, due to an app on your phone.
- Supervise heating and cooling use—Many smart thermostats offer valuable data through their app, including how long you needed heating and cooling on a certain day.
- Reminders—Select smart thermostats will let you know about critical maintenance tasks, such as when it’s time to change your air filter.
- Added savings—Many local energy companies provide rebates for smart thermostats, so call with yours for details.
Cons
Having said that, there’s a few areas you should take into account regarding getting a smart thermostat in your home:
- Compatibility—Subject to the type and age of your heating and cooling system, a smart thermostat might not be compatible. If you’re not sure, it’s advisable to contact an HVAC pro like AW Heating & Air Conditioning. We also advise having it professionally installed. This ensures that you have the correct number of wires and that it’s connected right. Some systems don’t come with a common wire, which results in compatibility issues with a smart thermostat. This wire runs your thermostat, so if your residence doesn’t have a C-wire, we can put one in.
- Housing situation—If you own your home and want to live there for many years, it’s a good investment to get a smart thermostat. If you’re planning to move soon or rent, we advise delaying unless you plan to take the thermostat with you. If you rent, you’ll often need to secure your landlord’s permission first before putting in a new thermostat.
- Cost—Smart thermostats are pricier than programmable thermostats, and we recommend having yours professionally installed. However, the energy savings over its lifetime can help pay for itself.
- Lifestyle—Does a family member work from home, or is someone frequently at the house? If so, you might not see as big of savings, but you’ll get the convenience of not being required to program or adjust a thermostat.
Trust AW Heating & Air Conditioning for Your Smart Thermostat Needs
At AW Heating & Air Conditioning, our top goal is to keep your house comfortable while helping you conserve more heating and cooling bills. If you’re considering installing a smart thermostat, our specialists can help, from selecting the ideal model to expert installation. Contact us at 402-438-7992 today to learn more.