Wireless, Wi-Fi or ‘Smart’ thermostats are smart devices that connect to the Internet over your wireless connection.
These thermostats have a number of uses, and their main appeal is that they allow you to connect via your smartphone or tablet to the thermostat, whether you are at home, at work, or even away on holiday. You can keep track of your home’s temperature, check whether you remembered to turn the heating off, and ‘pre-warm’ the house when you are on the way home from work. Some smart thermostats have an app that will learn your personal preferences and automatically manage the heating and air conditioning settings to keep you comfortable all year round.
Why Use a Wireless Thermostat?
Programmable thermostats let you to set the temperature settings for your home based on your needs. They can help you to save energy and reduce your heating costs by making sure that you are not wasting money overheating or over-cooling your home. Smart thermostats can give you data on your energy use, help you learn the comfort needs of your family, and help you to keep track of how your heating is being used. A number of our customers enjoy the convenience of monitoring the temperatures in their home while they are on extended vacations.
Choosing a Wireless Thermostat
The goal of a smart thermostat is to keep people informed of, and in control of, their heating and air conditioning system, and to make the home more energy efficient. It is a good idea to look for one that has some advanced features above and beyond what you would find on a standard programmable thermostat, such as:
Easier Programming
Instead of having to set a schedule, let the thermostat learn your preferences over time.
Online Connection
Use your smartphone, tablet or PC to control your heating and cooling.
Collect Data
You can get data regarding your energy use so that you can fine-tune the heating and save as much energy as possible.
Alerts and Diagnostics
Get reminded when you need to maintain the unit and get information that can help you with diagnostics and repair.
Wireless Thermostats
The potential savings can vary from home to home, depending on the temperature preferences you have and the energy costs you are looking at.
ENERGY STAR notes that correct use of thermostats could save you around $180 each year. Note that ‘correct’ is dependent on the operator here. Using a smart thermostat removes a lot of the potential mistakes that could be made if you tried to program a thermostat yourself.
A smart thermostat may cost more up front than a programmable thermostat, but it is worth the money. If you already have a programmable thermostat, and have been using it properly, then you may be wondering whether it is worth getting a smart thermostat instead. For most people, a smart thermostat is still an upgrade, because you will be able to fine tune your energy use, remote control your heating and air conditioning, and get feedback and reminders about maintenance.
If you are interested in an upgrade to a wireless smart thermostat, contact us today at Furlong HVAC Services and we’d be happy to discuss your options.