We can all agree that the idea of a smart thermostat sounds terrific. It seems like in a sci-fi movie where everything is controlled automatically.
Of course, we haven’t reached that point yet, but with remote control thermostat, you will be able to program your home’s cooling and heating systems automatically. At the same time, most manufacturers state that you will save both environment and money.
The central question that we want to ask ourselves is the question of saving money. Okay, you have to spare a small fortune to install the smart thermostat in your home, and the idea is that you will return your money in energy savings.
Therefore, we want to answer do smart thermostats save you money?
Why is a Smart Thermostat “smart”?
First, we have to start from the very beginning. We all remember old, manual thermostats that had dials that we used for programming. The idea was that you just have to adjust everything manually and if you want to change the temperature, you have to do it again.
On the other hand, the programmable thermostat went a step further and gave us the possibility to set temperature schedules throughout the day, based on our preferences.
We can say that from this point of view, programmable thermostats look pretty smart. Programmable thermostats are a great solution if you have the effort and time to update and program them regularly. However, that is just a small feature when compared with smart thermostats.
The best thing about smart thermostats is that you can control them remotely through a PC or smartphone wherever you are. Some models even can automatically change the schedule to Away when they detect that you are not in the house.
You can also control the ambient conditions as well as humidity and track real-time energy spending through a mobile app.
The smartest thermostats will allow you to check the usage history so that you can see when cooling or heating started and all other information as well. That way you will have a better idea of how often your system is running.
The most significant feature of smart thermostats is the possibility to learn your adjustment habits. When you choose Nest Smart Thermostat, for example, it can quickly learn after a while when you are away or home, and based on that it will cool or warm up your house at different periods throughout the day. You don’t have to program it manually, just adjust it and it will learn your habits.
How Smart Thermostats Save You Money?
Everything from the commercial sounds excellent, but is that reality or not; by using simpler words: how much does a smart thermostat save actually?
The most prominent disadvantage of the smart thermostat is its cost. When you compare them with programmable models, you will have to pay at least two times more. Most smart thermostats have an approximate price of around $250, while you can find essential programmable for $25.
For the extra money, you will get extra features such as usage history, smartphone access, the possibility to let the thermostat adjust the temperature for you, and many more additional features.
You will need extra cash available to purchase it, but most manufacturers state that the high price will pay itself off in the long run. When we see the advertisement of them, most people indicate that you will save money on energy costs.
The main feature that will help you save the money is thermostat’s possibility to learn your adjustment habits and turn down the heating system while you are not home and turn it back up when you arrive.
You can also do the same thing with a programmable thermostat, but it involves too much hassle of programming and using those small buttons that you have no idea, what they are about. With smart thermostats, it is way easier and quicker to add the program, and some of them can do it automatically, making it as simple as possible.
in conclusion, smart thermostats won’t save you much money when compared to a programmable thermostat. However, if you don’t have enough time to program the thermostat and you think of it as a bother, the smart thermostat is the best investment for you.
Of course, remote access features are worth extra money, but some people prefer to have control over the thermostat, which is why remote access is an excellent and handy solution. You just have to open the app and change the temperature with a single tap, no matter where you are.
Conclusion:
We can conclude by saying that a smart thermostat won’t necessarily save too much energy and money bills as a programmable thermostat, but it is much more convenient and simpler for using.
Of course, smart thermostats can save you some cash and give you perfect convenience by making your life easier. However, do not expect some fundamental change in bills, the idea of a smart thermostat for home is to have available and remote control possibility to handle it as well as other advantageous features.
