Thermostats are a huge part of our lives. They are the ones that make our home lives much more comfortable, especially in the cold winter months, when it can get unreasonably cold outside, and the fireplace is not doing any wonders. Thanks to their mothers, many people also have fun stories with thermostats, who do not let them control it without their supervision.
Of course, with the innovations done in home improvement, thermostats are also getting an upgrade. From traditional thermostats, we now have Smart thermostats. The name itself gives it away — it makes everything much easier to control, with the help of an app or just a touch of your fingertips.
Many people have fallen in love already with Smart thermostats, and many brands claim that they are better than the competition. For the first-timers, this can be very confusing. Worry no more because this article can be your guide in choosing the best smart thermostats for your home.
How Smart Thermostats Work
Smart thermostats are your regular thermostats, except that they are Smart. It has a sensor — usually temperature, but there are Smart thermostats out there with humidity sensors. This is also where it gets Smart — the Smart part comes in because you can control this via your Smartphone or tablet, even when you are thousands of miles away.
Of course, convenience is not its only function. Smart thermostats help you conserve energy by providing control over your home’s heating and cooling systems through an app on your Smartphone or tablet.
A smart device learns how long it takes to heat up or cool down your house and automatically adjusts the temperature whether you’re home or not. You can even set up geofencing to automatically sync with your Smartphone’s location, so the Smart thermostat adjusts to your preferences while you’re on your way home.
What Makes a Smart Thermostat Smart?
About Smart thermostats, it is more about connectivity and efficiency these days. We have established that Smart thermostats are the regular type, except for their ‘Smart’ features. However, Smart can be defined in many ways.
For example, some Smart devices require other types of sensors — such as moisture or motion –, but they still manage to make your life easier through connectivity qualities. The best Smart thermostats should be able to connect easily with a Smartphone or tablet via a wireless connection or Bluetooth technology for simple installation and control.
Aside from Smart features, Smart thermostats also come with a few other qualities that you should look for:
- The digital display on the Smart thermostat and the Smart device app (Clock and 7-day programming)
- Occupancy sensing (turns air conditioning or heating on if it detects movement in the room)
- Smart, responsive technology (learns about your lifestyle to better maintain ideal temperatures through geofencing and scheduling of your home)
- Smart alerts (automatically send alerts for maintenance or malfunction prevention via email, text message, or push notification)
Additionally, some Smart devices out there implement voice control, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home. While this may be very convenient, keep in mind that integrating Smart features with Smart devices can give you more Smart benefits, such as Smart alerts and Smart scheduling.
Smart devices have more Smart features for convenience and energy savings. Voice control is simply a feature of Smart thermostats — not the Smart part. For example, voice control cannot predict when there will be a storm, so it cannot adjust your schedule accordingly.
Benefits of Smart Thermostats
You may be wondering why Smart thermostats are worth it if your current thermostat is still working fine. Smart thermostats have a few benefits that you can enjoy, such as:
Energy savings. Smart devices learn about your schedule and lifestyle to preserve energy while maintaining your home’s ideal temperature. Plus, these Smart devices automatically adjust themselves when no one’s home or when everyone has left the house. This saves on energy costs, especially compared to the old days when you needed to turn on or off heating and cooling systems manually.
Remote control access. With Smart technology, you can access all the features from anywhere through a smartphone or tablet app — perfect for those who often travel or do not always get a chance to physically adjust the temperature in their homes. Smart systems can also let you know if your Smart thermostat is broken, so it’s always running smoothly and efficiently.
Maintenance enhancements. Smart technology can alert you about unusual spikes in energy usage that could mean there’s something wrong with your HVAC system (and not just because of everyone’s home). Smart devices are made with sensors that detect even the slightest changes, allowing Smart thermostats to send alerts for preventative maintenance or malfunction prevention.
Different Factors to Consider in Choosing the Best One
It can be confusing with so many brands pushing themselves in front of you, like the best smart thermostat for your home. Smart devices vary in Smart features and connectivity, so make sure you know what you want out of your Smart thermostat.
Here are some of the different factors you should consider in choosing the best smart thermostat for your home:
Smart Connectivity. First of all, Smart devices come with a Smart app that lets you control your smart thermostat in many different ways. Smart apps have the Smart technology you need to keep tabs on your home from anywhere, which is very convenient if you often travel or work during odd hours.
Smart features. Another aspect to consider while selecting a Smart thermostat for your home is the Smart capabilities of your chosen Smart device. Smart sensors monitor even the most minor temperature changes, and smart scheduling allows you to customize when heating and cooling systems turn on and off. You’ll get alerts about anything unusual with your Smart devices, such as malfunctions or spikes.
Smart compatibility. Smart devices can be Smart if your Smart home doesn’t have Smart technology to support all the Smart features you want to enjoy from your Smart thermostat. Before buying a Smart device, make sure that it’s Smart compatible with other smart products in your home — such as smart lightbulbs and appliances.
Smart costs. Smart technologies can save you money if you consider how much they cost. Smart features, for example, will extend the life of your HVAC system by detecting possible faults or damage before they become a problem. Hence, repairs or replacements are unavoidable later on. Smart apps and smart compatibility with other smart devices in your home are also included in Smart costs.
Smart alerts. Alert notifications help you get the most out of your smart thermostat because Smart alerts can help you detect Smart malfunctions and Smart damage before things get Smart (and expensive). Smart alerts also give you the chance to catch problems Smartly before they Smart your Smart thermostat.
Smart design. Smart devices come in Smart designs to suit the Smart needs of homes today, which is why it’s easy to find designs that fit well with the Smart look and feel of your home. Smart features also allow you to customize Smart comfort levels for everyone living in Smart homes, so Smart thermostats can Smartly adjust for Smart energy usage.
Smart responsiveness. The ability to be responsive without using much energy is what makes Smart comfort possible. Smart controls react as expected to Smart changes in your Smart home, automatically adjusting the temperature of your Smart house as required.
Smart scheduling. Smart scheduling is based on sophisticated algorithms that learn your preferences over time to make more efficient use of your energy. Smart scheduling adjusts your heating and cooling systems so you can maintain a constant level of comfort while still saving money on energy bills. You may program your thermostat to run automatically, with no action required from you.
Smart geofencing. You may also use geofences to check how much electricity you’re using and how much it costs while leaving the house. Finally, smart gadgets intelligently track your smart data when you go about your day to keep your Smart home’s comfort levels at a high level.
Final Thoughts
Indeed, having a smart thermostat can do wonders for your home life to make it more convenient and comfortable for you to live. Even though there are a lot of smart thermostats available on the market for you to use, you should always consider different factors that will contribute to getting the best out of your smart thermostat.
Mybrighthaus can help you with your thermostat and other home improvement issues that you might have. They have a skilled team of experts who can help you install and maintain smart thermostats and other smart devices. In addition, you can also rely on them for your other home improvement needs. Consider them your one-stop-shop for home improvement needs, and you won’t ever regret it.
