Thermostats

Smart thermostats and programmable thermostats can be a great way to save on your electric bill if your daily schedule leaves your home unoccupied for several hours at a time. The benefit of a smart or programmable thermostat is that it can be used to raise or lower the temperature inside of your home while you are away and then adjust the temperature to your preferred setting before you arrive back home. This results in your HVAC system operating for less time throughout the day, which saves you money

Programmable Thermostats vs. Smart Thermostats

• Smart thermostats are Wi-Fi enabled they allow you to control or program thermostat when you are not home as well as on the unit itself. All you need is internet access, a smartphone, tablet or computer. 
• Programmable thermostats do not have internet connectivity and can only be controlled and programmed on the unit itself.

Both types of thermostats achieve the same goal of operating the HVAC system less when your home is unoccupied.

Smart thermostats are able to adapt to your daily schedule. Many smart thermostats attempt to detect whether there may be occupants inside of the home. They accomplish this by monitoring the times when you change the temperature or through sensors. These sensors allow the smart thermostat to learn patterns about your daily schedule and automatically adjust the temperature in an effort to decrease the HVAC operating time.

Examples of Smart Thermostats

Nest Learning Thermostat	Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat	Ecobee Smart Thermostat

Cost Savings on Your Investment

Smart thermostats are typically more expensive than programmable ones. The makers of both types of devices claim annual savings from using these types of thermostats. Simply installing a smart or programmable thermostat will not guarantee a lower utility bill. The most important factor to consider when determining whether a smart or programmable thermostat is a good investment for your household is your daily schedule. If your home is not unoccupied for several hours at a time on a regular basis, the opportunity to realize savings from one of those types of thermostats will be greatly diminished.