If you like the idea of opening the door to a pre-heated or pre-cooled vacation house when you arrive, then you are definitely a candidate for a remote thermostat! There are many types of remote thermostats on the market today — some can be controlled by simply calling the telephone number at your vacation house and others are Internet-enabled and can be controlled from your PC or smart phone. Here are five good reasons why a remote thermostat should be the next upgrade to your vacation home:
1. Allows remote temperature control from anywhere
With a remote thermostat, you have the ability to adjust the temperature in your vacation house before you get there from virtually anywhere. If you are a skier with a winter retreat, imagine the comfort and convenience of arriving to a warm cabin versus having to wait hours for the bone-chilling cold to subside? In warmer climates, a remote thermostat gives you the ability to pre-cool a vacation home that is equipped with central air conditioning.
2. Saves on energy
Everyone wants to cut their heating and cooling bills these days. Regardless of the type of heating or cooling system you have, there is a compatible remote thermostat that will minimize energy consumption while your home is vacant and protect it from damage caused by excessive heat, humidity or freezing temperatures. Choose the remote thermostat model that works for you based on the type of communications methods available at your home – Internet, landline phone or cellular.
3. Sends automatic heat and freeze alarm alerts
Put an end to worrying about unexpected power outages or furnace or A/C failures. Many remote thermostats do double-duty as a heat or freeze alarm and have the ability to notify you by phone, email or text when temperatures in your vacation home reach dangerous highs or lows. These automatic alerts give you the opportunity to correct the situation before pipes freeze or extreme heat causes real damage. Some remote thermostat models, like the Sensaphone 400 and BAYWeb Internet Thermostat, accept additional environmental and security sensors to alert you of other emergency conditions such as smoke, flooding and break-ins.
4. Lets you call in for status reports
How would you like to have the ability to check the status of your vacation home with a simple phone call? Nearly all remote thermostats allow you to call in to get a real-time temperature reading. And, those models that accept additional sensors also allow you to call in for updates on conditions like water in the basement, burglaries and high humidity levels. If you choose an Internet-enabled remote thermostat, you can access status reports through your PC or smart phone.
5. Save on caretaker and professional monitoring fees
With a remote thermostat, you no longer have to pay your caretaker to come over to turn up the heat before you arrive. And if you install a remote thermostat with additional sensors, you’ll be able to monitor for concerns like flooding and break-ins yourself, instead of paying a professional security service or relying on caretaker visits.
For additional information and guidance on selecting a remote thermostat, take a look at this remote thermostat control comparison chart and video tutorial.
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