Keeping your Naples home comfortable can consume a big chunk of change. A typical family spends about $172 on monthly utility bills, according to ENERGY STAR®, or approximately $2,060 annually. At least half of that is for heating and cooling.
The majority of residences use programmable thermostats, but many people don’t bother to set them. The process is annoying, complicated and only provides you a few options for temperature changes. When your house is kept at the same temp throughout the day, it requires utilities and badly affects your monthly bill.
Smart thermostats pick up on your day-to-day activities and change the temperatures to accompany it. But can having one really conserve money on heating and cooling? Yes, and here’s why.
Studies Show Smart Thermostats Reduce on Energy Bills
Independent studies show these devices can produce big savings.
These studies included home utility expenses in 41 states before and after putting in a Nest smart thermostat. Nest said the study showed its thermostats can save up to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling, resulting in an estimated savings of $131 to $145 yearly.
With the typical smart thermostat costing between $100–$250, those savings can help it pay for itself. And the majority of local energy companies provide rebates for smart thermostats since they’re ENERGY STAR® certified.
How Does a Smart Thermostat Work?
After your smart thermostat is ready to go, you’ll first use it just like any other thermostat. You’ll switch it up and down, so the thermostat can learn about your wants. Then, it will get to work making a program that helps you spend less money, whether you’re at your residence or gone. Since it geofences with your smartphone, you won’t have to remember to adjust it when you exit or come home.
Pros and Cons of Installing a Smart Thermostat
Pros
As we talked about previously, smart thermostats give a lot of benefits to your home and energy bill, including:
- No need to adjust—Your smart thermostat will learn your routine, so you don’t have to spend time adjusting programs or remember to adjust it.
- Knows when you arrive and go—Since lots of smart thermostats geofence with your phone, your home will go into an energy-efficient setting when you take off and be comfy when you return.
- Remote temperature supervision—You’ll be able to watch your residence’s settings from nearly anywhere, on account of an app on your phone.
- Supervise heating and cooling use—The majority of smart thermostats offer valuable data through their app, such as how long you used heating and cooling on a particular day.
- Reminders—Some smart thermostats will alert you to critical maintenance tasks, like when you need to replace your air filter.
- Extra savings—The majority of local energy companies have rebates for smart thermostats, so call with yours for more info.
Cons
However, there’s a couple of areas you should contemplate when thinking about installing a smart thermostat in your house:
- Compatibility—Depending on the type and age of your heating and cooling system, a smart thermostat might not function with it. If you’re not sure, it’s advisable to contact an HVAC specialist like Speedy Air Conditioning. We also suggest having it professionally installed. This guarantees that you have the right number of wires and that it’s connected right. Some systems don’t have a common wire, which causes compatibility issues with a smart thermostat. This wire powers your thermostat, so if your residence doesn’t have a C-wire, we can put one in.
- Housing situation—If you own your residence and want to live there for many years, it’s a wise investment to get a smart thermostat. If you plan to move in the next year or rent, we recommend waiting unless you want to take the thermostat with you. If you rent, you’ll usually need to have your landlord’s permission first before installing a new thermostat.
- Cost—Smart thermostats cost more than programmable thermostats, and we advise 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 that’s your situation, you might not see as big of savings, but you’ll enjoy the benefits of not needing to program or adjust a thermostat.
Trust Speedy Air Conditioning for Your Smart Thermostat Needs
At Speedy Air Conditioning, our top priority is to keep your residence comfy while helping you save on utility expenses. If you’re wanting to install a smart thermostat, our specialists can help, from selecting the ideal model to expert installation. Give us a call at 239-244-3439 today to learn more.