Keeping your Hasbrouck Heights home comfy can eat up a lot of money. A typical family spends about $172 on monthly heating and cooling expenses, according to ENERGY STAR®, or around $2,060 each year. At least half of that is for heating and cooling.
Many houses use programmable thermostats, but many people don’t bother to program them. The process is bothersome, detailed and only gives you a couple of options for desired temperatures. When your house stays at the same temperature throughout the day, it wastes gas and electricity and negatively influences your monthly bill.
Smart thermostats pick up on your schedule and adapt the temperatures to accompany it. But can having one really help you spend less money on heating and cooling? Yes, and here’s why.
Studies Show Smart Thermostats Reduce on Energy Costs
Independent studies have found these devices can lead to large savings.
These studies used home energy costs in 41 states before and after putting in a Nest smart thermostat. Nest said the study found its thermostats can save up to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling, generating an average savings of $131 to $145 each year.
With the common smart thermostat running between $100–$250, those savings can help it pay for itself. And most local energy companies provide rebates for smart thermostats as they’re ENERGY STAR® certified.
How Does a Smart Thermostat Work?
After your smart thermostat is ready to go, you’ll at first set it just like any other thermostat. You’ll turn it up and down, so the thermostat can figure out your preferences. Then, it will start developing a program that helps you conserve more money, whether you’re at your residence or away. Because it geofences with your smartphone, you won’t have to remember to adjust it when you leave or return.
Pros and Cons of Installing a Smart Thermostat
Pros
As we talked about before, smart thermostats provide many pluses to your home and energy bill, including:
- No need to program—Your smart thermostat will adjust to your schedule, so you won’t be required to spend time setting programs or remember to change.
- Knows when you come and go—Since lots of smart thermostats geofence with your phone, your residence will be put into an energy-efficient setting when you go and be cozy when you arrive.
- Remote temperature control—You’ll be able to watch your residence’s settings from just about anyplace, on account of an app on your phone.
- Watch heating and cooling use—The majority of smart thermostats offer great data through their app, like how long you needed heating and cooling on a particular day.
- Reminders—Certain smart thermostats will alert you to crucial maintenance tasks, including when you need to put in a new air filter.
- Added savings—The majority of local energy companies offer rebates for smart thermostats, so call with yours for details.
Cons
However, there’s several points you should consider when considering getting a smart thermostat in your house:
- Compatibility—Based on the type and age of your heating and cooling system, a smart thermostat might not work. If you’re unsure, it’s recommended to ask an HVAC professional like ACE Solutions. We also suggest having it professionally installed. This ensures that you have the proper number of wires and that it’s hooked up correctly. Some systems don’t include a common wire, which leads to compatibility troubles with a smart thermostat. This wire powers your thermostat, so if your house doesn’t have a C-wire, we can install one.
- Housing situation—If you own your home and are planning to live there for many years, it’s a good investment to install a smart thermostat. If you’re planning to move shortly or rent, we advise delaying unless you want to take the thermostat with you. If you rent, you’ll often need to secure your landlord’s permission first ahead of installing a new thermostat.
- Cost—Smart thermostats are more expensive than programmable thermostats, and we recommend having yours professionally installed. However, the energy savings over its lifetime can help pay for itself.
- Lifestyle—Does a family member work from home, or is someone regularly at the house? If so, you might not see as big of savings, but you’ll get the convenience of not being required to program or adjust a thermostat.
Depend on ACE Solutions for Your Smart Thermostat Needs
At ACE Solutions, our top purpose is to keep your residence cozy while helping you save on energy expenses. If you’re considering installing a smart thermostat, our pros can help, from selecting the right model to expert installation. Call us at 201-579-2562 today to learn more.