In the middle of a cold, unforgiving winter, a thermostat may be the most crucial device in any New England home. Modern technology provides a wealth of products when it comes to heating controls. Recently, smart thermostats have risen in popularity and have proven to be a valuable choice for homeowners that seek efficiency and convenience.
What is a smart thermostat?
A smart thermostat integrates with WiFi and your smartphone device in order to control your heating system remotely. Like a programmable thermostat, a smart thermostat gives you the option to set up scheduled temperature changes. However, it also takes that capability a step further by allowing you to make changes from anywhere at any time. Smart thermostats can provide information such as external temperature and the length of time your HVAC system has been running. In addition, it can notify you when your air filter needs replacement.
The benefits of a smart thermostat
Convenience is one of the central benefits for most smart thermostat users. Smart thermostats can be particularly helpful when you’re on vacation, at work, or even lazily lounging on your couch. If you’ve ever come home to a chilly or sweltering house, you can understand the benefits of adjusting the temperature from the road. Smart thermostats can also prevent frozen pipes or overheating.
The smart thermostat’s ability to integrate with a smartphone is particularly helpful – especially since the majority of today’s population is constantly within an arm’s reach of their smartphones. Smart thermostats integrate with a smartphone app that makes it easy to manage your home’s temperature with the tap of the screen, and can even provide information on how much you’re spending each month. Some smart thermostats use geotracking technology to turn on your heating or cooling when your phone is in a particular radius of your home.
With a smart thermostat, you can save up to $180 per year on heating and cooling, according to the EPA’s Energy Star program. A smart thermostat can eliminate the unnecessary energy that is expended when you forget to turn off your thermostat as you leave for the day. Many smart thermostats are even equipped with machine learning technology, which means that it gets to know you and your habits, and sets to the most comfortable temperature depending on your schedule. If those savings don’t entice you enough, you can also receive a $100 rebate for your smart thermostat through Mass Save.
Common wire compatibility
A smart thermostat installation can vastly range in complexity, which is why it’s important to enlist the help of an HVAC specialist. For example, some smart thermostats require a common wire, or c wire. And contrary to its name, a common wire isn’t necessarily common – especially in New England, where turn-of-the-century homes have antiquated wiring systems.
To find out which smart thermostats are compatible with your home, your needs and your lifestyle, make an appointment with HomeWiz on our website. Our experts can save you the headache of installing a start thermostat yourself, and ensure that your device is the right fit.
HomeWiz 