{"id":4603,"date":"2014-10-17T11:00:31","date_gmt":"2014-10-17T15:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/?p=4603"},"modified":"2016-03-18T11:54:09","modified_gmt":"2016-03-18T15:54:09","slug":"should-you-upgrade-to-a-smart-thermostat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/should-you-upgrade-to-a-smart-thermostat\/","title":{"rendered":"Should You Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are those new, sleek $250+ \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201csmart\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d thermostats that \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201clearn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d (like the Nest by Google) worth the investment? Do all smart thermostats know how to learn or are some models smarter than others? Most importantly, will a smart thermostat reduce your energy bill? If you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2re in the market for a new thermostat for your home and have questions like these about thermostat terminology and technology, here are some tips on choosing a thermostat that fits your lifestyle and budget.\"Venstar<\/a><\/p>\n

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What Makes a Thermostat \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cSmart\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d?<\/em><\/h2>\n

The primary purpose of any thermostat is to let you adjust the temperature in your home and control your heating and air conditioning system. Old-fashioned thermostats (think wall-mounted round dial type) are inexpensive and actually very reliable. If you can remember to change the setting before you leave the house or go to bed so you aren\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t heating or cooling unnecessarily, you can save on energy with one of these manual thermostats.<\/p>\n

The next step up is a \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cprogrammable\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d thermostat<\/strong> that allows you to set up a daily and\/or weekly schedule whereby the thermostat automatically adjusts the temperature up or down based on your settings. Programmable thermostats<\/a><\/strong> can help reduce fuel bills by lowering the heat and A\/C automatically. Once programmed, you don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t have to remember to manually adjust the temperature unless you want to override the settings. They are also useful for pre-heating or pre-cooling your home prior to your return. Aube makes basic programmable thermostats for electric heating systems<\/a><\/strong> and hot water baseboard\/forced hot air systems<\/a><\/strong> that sell for under $75.\"Honeywell<\/a><\/p>\n

Smart thermostats<\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0are basically high-tech programmable thermostats with extra bells and whistles to increase energy savings and user-friendliness.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 Remote temperature control from anywhere using a smartphone or computer is the most popular feature of a smart thermostat.<\/strong> Another key feature is the ability to view your energy usage and savings via a web portal.<\/p>\n

With a smart thermostat<\/a><\/strong>, you can turn up the heat from your iPhone before you get home from work or turn off the A\/C from your desktop at work. \u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0You can also view your energy savings in real time on an app interface. Because a smart thermostat has the same benefits of a programmable thermostat and lets you make temperature changes at anytime from anywhere<\/a><\/strong>, you should see even bigger energy savings.<\/p>\n

Smart thermostats<\/a><\/strong> typically cost $75 to $100 more than a conventional programmable thermostat. For electric baseboard heating systems, Honeywell offers the EConnect Wireless Thermostat<\/a><\/strong> that communicates wirelessly with the unit and installs easily on the wall for improved temperature sensing and convenience.<\/p>\n

NOTE:<\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 In order to communicate, smart thermostats require you to have an Internet connection in your home\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that is always on, 24\/7<\/strong>. Many models use WiFi, such as the Venstar Colortouch with WiFi<\/a><\/strong>. Others models connect to your router with an Ethernet cable, like the popular BAYWeb Internet series<\/a><\/strong>, which can be adapted to wireless using a Powerline Ethernet bridge kit<\/strong>.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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What \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201cLearning\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d Thermostats Learn<\/em><\/h2>\n

Learning thermostats<\/strong> are smart thermostats with a built-in occupancy sensor<\/em>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that allows it to \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201clearn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d your daily habits so they can create a customized temperature schedule based on your activity<\/strong>.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 For instance, if your family leaves the house every morning by 9:00 a.m., the learning thermostat will turn down the heat at that time and turn it up again later when everyone returns home.<\/p>\n

Learning thermostats also measure things such as ambient light, humidity, and motion and use that information to fine-tune its program. If it detects that you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2re not home on the weekend when you usually are, it adjusts accordingly, even if the standard program dictates otherwise.<\/p>\n

The biggest advantage of a learning thermostat is that you don\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t have to program it yourself,<\/strong> which some people find appealing. Plus you get all of the features or a smart thermostat, including remote climate control. Learning thermostats will help you reduce your fuel bill and track your energy consumption, but costs range from around $250 to $500 for a Nest or Ecobee unit (plus professional installation if needed).<\/p>\n

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Challenges of Learning Thermostats<\/em><\/h2>\n

In addition to the high price tag<\/strong>, the ability of a learning thermostat to measure your family\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2s activity and create a customized temperature schedule can be inhibited by the location of the thermostat because its occupancy sensor is built in<\/strong>. In many homes, the main thermostat is located in an isolated place like a living room or hallway, instead of a high-traffic location like the kitchen, so the auto-program the thermostat creates will be both ineffective and inaccurate.<\/p>\n

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The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n

\"BAYweb<\/a>Unless you’re religious about adjusting your thermostat when you leave the house, a programmable thermostat can save up to $180 per year on heating and cooling<\/strong>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0(according to the EPA<\/a>), so upgrading your old-fashioned manual thermostat to a programmable model<\/a><\/strong> is definitely worth the money.<\/p>\n

If you also want the ability to control temperature remotely from your smartphone or computer<\/strong> and you have a 24\/7 Internet connection in your home, you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ll want to spend a little more to get a smart thermostat<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If you want an automated temperature schedule but can\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2t be bothered with the hassle of programming your thermostat, you may be able to justify the expense of a learning thermostat. However, before<\/span> you invest in a learning thermostat, make sure the location of your main thermostat is in a high-traffic area and consider how long you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2ll be living in your home.<\/strong> It you plan to move soon or only rent, it is probably not worth the additional cost.<\/p>\n

If thermostat location is a problem in your home, a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0good alternative to a learning thermostat\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0is a\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0smart thermostat like the BAYWeb<\/a> that uses\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0wireless motion\/occupancy sensors<\/a>\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0that can be placed in strategic high-traffic places<\/strong> around the house.\u00c3\u201a\u00c2\u00a0 The remote sensors will sense movement when people are home in multiple locations around the house and communicate it to the thermostat, which will adjust temperature accordingly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Are those new, sleek $250+ \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201csmart\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d thermostats that \u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c5\u201clearn\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00c2\u009d (like the Nest by Google) worth the investment? Do all smart thermostats know how to learn or are some models smarter than others? Most importantly, will a smart thermostat reduce your energy bill? If you\u00c3\u00a2\u00e2\u201a\u00ac\u00e2\u201e\u00a2re in… Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4609,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[200,7,217,160,621,481,216,348],"class_list":["post-4603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-internet-thermostats","tag-bayweb-internet-thermostat","tag-internet-thermostats-2","tag-internet-enabled-thermostats","tag-remote-thermostats","tag-smart-thermostats","tag-venstar-colortouch-thermostat","tag-wifi-thermostats","tag-wireless-remote-theromostats","clearfix"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4603"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4603\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7156,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4603\/revisions\/7156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.diycontrols.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}