Maybe you’ve heard of smart thermostats, but you don’t really know what they are. How different is a smart thermostat from a standard thermostat anyway? While standard and smart thermostats perform the same basic functions, a smart thermostat offers you many more capabilities, along with greater precision in selecting a temperature for your home.
If you are interested in smart thermostat installation in Staten Island, NY, our team would love to help. We can talk to you about your expectations and help you choose a smart thermostat that fits your needs. You can keep reading to learn more about the various functions of a smart thermostat and how it sets itself apart from a standard thermostat.
Limitations of a Standard Thermostat
Many standard thermostats are digital now, meaning that they have a screen that shows the temperature instead of using a manual dial with numbers printed on the thermostat itself. However, having a digital thermostat does not make it smart. Even digital thermostats can be limited to manually setting a temperature with no other functions.
Keep in mind that a digital thermostat is still better than a basic thermostat that uses the manual dial to select a temperature. At least with a digital thermostat, you can select a precise temperature. When you are using an indicator to choose a temperature from printed numbers, you can be as much as a few degrees off without realizing it. And a few degrees difference can cost you a lot on your monthly energy bills.
Automate Temperatures
A smart thermostat does so much more. You can automate temperature settings to improve energy efficiency, as well as your comfort. If you are away from home for an extended period of the day while you’re working, leaving your air conditioner set to your normal temperature can cost a lot of money cooling an empty home.
With a manual thermostat, you have to turn the temperature up before you leave and then come home to a warm house; change the temperature again, and wait for your home to cool down. With a smart thermostat, you can program your settings to change automatically. This takes out any guesswork and also ensures that you come home to a comfortable temperature while also enjoying the energy savings.
Save Even More
A smart thermostat can learn from your habits and offer suggestions for ways to save more on your energy costs. Increasing the temperature for eight hours a day while you are away at work can save you 10%–15% on your monthly energy costs. Setting the thermostat slightly higher while you sleep can save you even more. This is another setting you can pre-program to happen every night at a certain time.
Learning from your smart thermostat may help you squeeze even more savings out of your air conditioner. If the suggested settings fall outside of your comfort zone, try setting your thermostat a single degree higher for cooling or lower for heating to save money. Adjust slowly and you may find you’re just as comfortable while enjoying a significantly lower energy bill.
The savings extend beyond your energy costs. When your air conditioner is not working as hard, it reduces strain from wear and tear. This lessens the likelihood of air conditioning repairs and extends the lifespan of the AC.
Contact Scaran today to schedule an appointment with our professionals.
