Whether you’re thinking of upgrading to a completely new air conditioning system or you’re looking for ways to make your current system more efficient, a smart thermostat can be a necessary addition. These thermostats provide a whole level of added benefits over the traditional dial or programmable thermostats. There are many different reasons why you might want to consider investing in one for your home.
Remote Control Access
Probably the most sought-after benefit of installing a smart thermostat in your home is that you can control it remotely from your smartphone. Anywhere that your smartphone has internet connectivity, you can connect to the mobile app to change the settings on your thermostat or simply to check in. This can be very useful when your schedule changes and you plan on returning home earlier than usual. You can log into the app and turn down your home’s temperature so that it’s nice and cool when you walk through the front door.
Programmable Scheduling
Another great benefit of smart thermostats is that they offer the ability to program in a schedule. Instead of having to push a million buttons on a traditional programmable thermostat to set your schedule, you can do so easily through the manufacturer’s app. This makes it much easier to not only program in your schedule but also make changes from week to week. The easier it is to program a schedule in your thermostat, the more likely you’re going to take the time to do so to make your system run more efficiently. The more efficiently your air conditioning system can run, the more money you’re going to save on your energy bills.
Essential Energy Saving Tips
A great advantage of using a smart thermostat as opposed to a traditional thermostat is that it offers you essential energy-saving tips that you can utilize to lower your energy bills. From which temperature is ideal for certain zones throughout your home to optimizing your programmed schedule, a smart thermostat will make recommendations based on your recent usage habits. Just switching over to a smart thermostat and following the suggested tips can allow you to save more on your seasonal cooling costs.
Energy Usage Reports
Smart thermostats are specifically designed to track your energy usage and provide easy-to-read reports. These functions can allow you to easily track how different settings will affect your overall energy bill. For example, you may try to increase the temperature on your thermostat by 1 degree in the evenings. By examining the energy usage reports, you can see how much of a difference that made in your energy costs over the past couple of weeks. The easier it is to see your energy usage, the more likely you’re going to make changes to reduce it.
More User-Friendly Controls
If you’ve ever used one of those old dial thermostats, you know it can be a bit difficult to actually read the temperature. In many cases, it takes looking intently to determine where exactly the line is. On the other hand, smart thermostats are specifically designed to be user-friendly. They have clear styles and simple interfaces that make it easy to quickly read what the temperature settings are. You’ll no longer have to worry about squinting at smaller numbers and trying to read poorly lit screens.
Compatible With Other Smart Devices
A smart thermostat is just one type of smart technology that can be utilized throughout your home. These thermostats are designed to be compatible with other smart device platforms. The most common are smart humidifiers and air purifiers. This smart technology allows all your devices to link up and exchange information with one another.
Voice Commands
A really cool feature of smart thermostats that other types of thermostats do not have is voice commands. Smart thermostats can be integrated with voice command technology so that you can control your thermostat setting by simply talking. For example, if you get home on a hot day and it doesn’t feel cool enough in your home, you can use your voice to decrease the temperature setting on your thermostat without even having to get off of the couch. Now, that’s convenient!
Automatic Weather Adjustments
While most of the time, your temperature settings are going to be fine for keeping your family comfortable in your home, there are times when the weather may make your home uncomfortable. Fortunately, some smart thermostats are specifically programmed to track the weather in your area. Then, they make adjustments to your thermostat based on how the weather is expected to change. For example, if a cold front is coming in, the thermostat will increase the temperature on your air conditioner to help offset it.
Movement Sensors
While you can definitely set your smart thermostat based on what your regular schedule is, it’s likely that you’re not going to be as detailed with your schedule as possible. This is where movement sensors can come into play. Some smart thermostats come with these movement sensors that will detect when anyone you live with is up and active inside your house. It will take note of when these times are and make suggestions for more energy-efficient scheduling for your thermostat.
This can be particularly helpful for behaviors that you don’t pay too much attention to. For example, your family might hang around in the living room for a couple of hours in the evening. Without a lot of movement, you won’t need the temperature to be as cool as times when you’re cooking dinner. Your smart thermostat can sense these specific variations and make better recommendations to enhance the efficiency of your air conditioning system.
Be Alerted to Problems in Real Time
Another great advantage of investing in a smart thermostat is that it will provide you with real-time updates as far as what’s going on with your system. If your air filter needs to be changed, it will alert you to do so. If there is a failure with one of the components of your air conditioning system, it will let you know that. Instead of having to deal with finding out that your air conditioning system hasn’t been working all day, you can simply receive an alert on your phone the second it breaks down, so you can contact a technician to come quickly.
Maintenance Reminders
Remembering to properly maintain your air conditioning system can be a bit challenging. Smart thermostats can make it a lot easier by providing you with reminders of when it’s time to perform the necessary maintenance on your system. For example, we’ll let you know when you need to schedule an annual service by a professional at the beginning of the season. It will also let you know when things like your air filter need to be changed so that you can ensure your system is working as efficiently as possible.
Expert AC Services
At Buehler Air Conditioning & Plumbing, we offer expert AC services for the entire Jacksonville, FL, region. We can also help with all your heating, indoor air quality, HVAC zoning, and thermostat needs. We do duct cleaning, duct sealing, and duct replacement as well. Contact us today to schedule your next service appointment.