THE PROBLEM WITH NORMAL THERMOSTATS
Older homes in the Raleigh area will typically have thermostats with a basic digital display, a dial, and a slide. This type of thermostat will certainly allow you to adjust the temperature—but that’s about it. There are no no programmable features that would allow you to keep 24/7 watch over your thermostat.
A programmable thermostat is a step up from the non programmable older thermostats. You can set a schedule that cools and heats your home according to your energy saving strategy and your lifestyle.
However, these types of thermostats need your permission to make changes which is where they fall short of smart thermostats. They will not adjust themselves without you doing it manually for them!
A smart thermostat, on the other hand, can adjust itself when it sees opportunities for saving money. That’s an invaluable feature that can really make a difference over time.
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT A SMART THERMOSTAT?
A smart thermostat is essentially a thermostat that has a computer-brain and is connected to the internet. This is one the best qualities of this device as it allows you to save money on your energy bills.
The “smart” part of the smart thermostat will pick up the slack in all the areas where other thermostats fail.
For example:
PROGRAMMING FOR EFFICIENCY
You can run your smart thermostat to maintain comfort 100% of the time, but you can also program it for efficiency. They can do this by warning you when your desired temperature is inefficient, as well as adjusting itself to make smarter, more cost-effective usage.
LEARNING BEHAVIORS
What are the biggest contributors to inefficiencies in the HVAC system? Humans! We as residents of the Raleigh, Clayton, Garner and beyond, are prone to making decisions based on how we feel, and that includes adjusting the temperature when we shouldn’t. A smart thermostat learns how to keep you comfortable while saving money at the same time (Just don't touch the dial!)
AVOIDS WASTING ENERGY
Have you ever made it home later than expected, only to find the AC blasting air into an empty house? Or maybe you stepped out of the home for, say, a week-long vacation, just to realize that the AC has been cooling the home according to your normal schedule?
Smart thermostats can detect when you’re not home, and even if they don’t, you can monitor their use through a smartphone. You can then manually adjust the schedule from your phone to save yourself from wasting all that energy.
Get in tough with us at Island Breeze HVAC with any questions about if a WIFI enabled Smart Thermostat is right for your home!
