Get More Out of Your Smart Thermostat

Installing a smart thermostat is an excellent first step toward taking control of your home’s HVAC system. However, if you don’t know how to use it properly, you might as well have stuck with your old unit. Use these tips to get more out of the smart thermostat in your Stuart, Florida, home.

Read the Manual

We recommend professional installation of any smart thermostat. However, if you want it to work properly, sit down with the manual and a cup of joe. Read it thoroughly so you know which features it offers and how each feature works. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself neglecting features that could potentially save you significant money.

Plus, if you love learning about technology, you’ll thoroughly enjoy the experience. Check out data on how much money a smart thermostat can save you, then start monitoring your progress until you achieve the results you want. Techno-savvy individuals often experience better results with smart thermostats because they’re obsessed with checking energy usage and tweaking the settings.

Understand Smart Thermostat Types

Some smart thermostats automatically learn your behaviors and adjust to suit them. For instance, they’ll learn that you’re not at home on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., so they’ll adjust the temperature accordingly. The more you teach it, the more intuitive it becomes.

Other smart thermostats work with Wi-Fi. You get a mobile app that lets you change thermostat settings on the go. If you forget to lower the temperature when you leave for work on a cold winter morning, you can fix that problem as soon as you arrive at the office.

Still more smart thermostats do both. They learn your patterns and preferences, but you can also adjust them remotely. Some even come with remotes that allow you to change the temperatures or other settings from the living room couch. 

Combine Technologies to Save More Money

Smart thermostats offer many benefits, but they’re often used as part of smart homes. Buying an Energy Star heating system, for instance, can dramatically reduce your energy bills. That’s because Energy Star thoroughly vets every system to make sure it complies with the organization’s guidelines.

Add an Energy Star heating system to increased insulation in your home, and you’ll save even more money. Double- or triple-paned windows can prevent heat loss and gain, while whole-home humidifiers help improve indoor air quality. The more smart technology you add to your home, the more efficient it becomes. You’ll thank yourself when your first electric bill arrives in the mail.

Save While You’re Out of Town

Most smart thermostats come with vacation settings, which override the normal settings. If you’re heading out of town on a business trip or a family adventure to Disneyland, you don’t want your home’s thermostat to run as if you were there. Save money by increasing or decreasing the thermostat settings, depending on the season, so you don’t waste money heating or cooling a vacant home.

Vacation settings can also prove helpful if you have a second home. When you’re not there, you can let the HVAC system run just enough to keep humidity levels under control and to protect the rest of your house. If your smart thermostat comes equipped with an app, you can access it remotely and adjust the temperature so you’re comfortable upon arrival.

Look at the Weather

Many of the latest smart thermostats include other information, such as weather forecasts. Use this data to adjust your thermostat settings accordingly. When you know a cold front lies just around the corner, you can increase the temperature so you don’t have to suffer a minute of chilled indoor air.

You might also be able to hook up your thermostat to your whole-home dehumidifier and other indoor air quality products. Adjust the settings from the thermostat panel when you think they need to change. It’s extremely convenient, especially if you’re focused on home comfort.

Getting to know your smart thermostat will save money and give you more control over your environment. For more information on our HVAC services, call Preferred Air Conditioning & Mechanical, LLC at (561) 202-1422.

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