Maximize the Benefits of Your Smart Thermostat

The average American household spends more than $900 annually on heating and cooling costs. You can upgrade to a smart thermostat to lower these costs while staying comfortable in your home. 

Smart thermostats are all about giving you more control over your home’s heating and cooling system and helping it run more efficiently. Follow these tips to get the most out of your smart thermostat.

1.    Use Scheduling Features

Smart thermostats can adjust heating and cooling settings around your occupancy schedule. This lets you adjust the temperature while you are away from home and return it to a more comfortable temperature ahead of your return. Many thermostats will also learn your preferences and occupancy habits over time.  

2.    Try Auto-Away Settings 

Do you have an unpredictable schedule that makes it difficult to program your thermostat? Most smart thermostats come with geo-fencing features that can determine when you are away from home based on your smartphone’s location and automatically adjust the temperature accordingly.

3.    Review Energy Insights

Many smart thermostats provide a monthly summary of your energy use. These insights can highlight opportunities for even more energy and cost savings.

4.    Take Advantage of Remote Accessibility 

Did you forget to adjust the temperature before you left on vacation? Do you want to adjust the temperature without getting up from your comfortable couch? Smart thermostats let you enjoy the convenience of controlling your thermostat from anywhere with an internet connection.

5.    Bonus Features

Smart thermostats offer additional benefits, such as reminders to replace your furnace filter or alerts for any issues with your HVAC system. You can even use your smart thermostat to monitor power outages and internet issues while away from home by seeing if your thermostat is online and connected through your app.

6.    Use Temperature Setbacks Correctly

If you use a heat pump for heating, avoid schedule or location-based temperature adjustments during the winter. Heat pumps work more efficiently when maintaining a consistent temperature setting. Lowering the temperature while you are away can make your heat pump switch to auxiliary heating mode once you return the temperature to your normal setting.  In auxiliary mode, a heat pump uses its inefficient electric heating coil, potentially nullifying any energy savings and even increasing consumption.

7.    Check Device Compatibility 

ENERGY STAR-certified smart thermostats are compatible with most HVAC systems, especially with forced air HVAC systems that were installed after 1975. However, it’s always a good idea to check the smart thermostat’s website or contact your HVAC system manufacturer to verify compatibility prior to purchasing.