Is it Worth Installing a Smart Thermostat?

Summer is one time of the year when you need to control your HVAC system. Or else, you may just end up facing expensive utility bills. Installing a smart thermostat or a WiFi thermostat can help on many levels. You can continue staying comfortable in your Northern California house without having to pay exorbitant energy bills. These are a few reasons why you should consider installing a smart thermostat.

1. Minimizing Energy Costs

Energy cost savings is perhaps the biggest reasons for upgrading to a WiFi thermostat. You can easily schedule your HVAC system to run less when you are not at home. This way your unit runs only when you are inside the home and need air conditioning. Your digital thermostat can be programmed to kick in right when you and your family members are scheduled to get in. This way you can save up to 15% on cooling costs and 12% on heating costs.

2. Tracking Energy Usage

Digital or smart thermostats also allows for tracking energy usage. Many devices come with an option to create a home energy profile that lets users know how their energy consumption has changed over time. It will also help you understand how your current usage will affect energy costs in the future. Many smart thermostats offer tips to adjust heating and cooling preferences to reduce energy costs.

3. Remotely Control the Thermostat

You can remotely control the temperature when you install a WiFi thermostat at your home. You can adjust the cooling schedule if you are coming home early someday. If you go this route you don’t need to depend on the set thermostat settings or experience an uncomfortably stuffy home. You can also control temperature settings in your house if you are going on a vacation.

4. Schedule HVAC Usage Easily

Most homeowners do not install a digital thermostat because they are worried about programming it. They also feel it may be too difficult to adjust the cooling or heating schedule to account for seasonal changes. Smart thermostats make it easier to schedule heating and cooling usage. This is because you don’t need to adjust the day-to-day temperature on your own. There are movement detectors in most smart thermostat which can tell when people in the house are active or at home.

More advanced models learn movement patterns to adjust the temperature accordingly. The thermostat may also offer to adjust the heating and cooling schedule in your home to account for your family needs. Only a few devices can monitor the weather to adjust for heat waves and cold snaps.

5. Can be Installed Easily

Smart thermostats can be easily installed as long as the thermostat wiring is right. Take a look under the cover of your current thermostat. You need a C wire to install a smart thermostat. You should not have any problem installing the new thermostat if you see wired marked R, W, Rc, or Rh. You would just need to cut the power to the thermostat and connect the wires to your new smart thermostat.

Next step will be to install the new thermostat faceplate and restore power. Make sure you follow all manufacturer instructions on programming the thermostat the way you want.