Contributed Post: Five Things You Need to Know About Smart Thermostats

If you’re in charge of managing the monthly household budget, there’s probably one expense that really bugs you every billing cycle. The utility bill is a huge aggravation because it’s never quite the same but it always seems to be higher than expected.

On the upside, we do have some control over what we pay for utilities. For starters, anyone living in a deregulated energy area can save money by researching the prices, plans and special deals of local providers. Sometimes it’s the perks the provider offers that make the biggest difference.

Recently there have been a number of electricity providers offering customers money-saving tools for free. For example, the rates from Reliant Energy are among the most competitive in Texas. However, the Nest smart thermostat they offer with their Learn & Conserve 24 Plan can make the monthly utility bill even lower. Reliant Energy provides a smart thermostat free of charge in an effort to help customers save electricity and money.

Electric providers know what changes around the house can yield the biggest return. They are well aware that using the heater and air conditioner efficiently can save customers hundreds of dollars a year. That’s where a smart thermostat comes into play. It’s a tool that does the energy saving for you.

Here are five reasons why energy insiders think everyone should have a smart thermostat.

Smart Thermostats Make Energy Efficiency Automatic

Automation is a beautiful thing in our busy world. Being able to set it and forget it is one of the biggest advantages of a smart thermostat. These devices go above and beyond programmable thermostats. They can:

• ·  Automatically adjust to your lifestyle.
• ·  Automatically adjust for the season.
• ·  Sense motion and adjust the temperature if no one is at home.
• ·  Use your phone location to automatically adjust temperatures.
• ·  Gather real-time data to provide daily usage reports.

Smart thermostats essentially put energy efficiency on autopilot for you.

They Take the Guesswork Out of HVAC Energy Efficiency

Plenty of people know that space heating and air conditioning takes up a large piece of the energy use pie. How to fix the problem isn’t always as obvious. Because smart thermostats make changes automatically, they can help improve HVAC use even if a person has bad energy habits or doesn’t know where to start. A smart thermostat is designed to read your behaviors and make the energy efficiency adjustments for you.

Essentially it’s a tool that makes HVAC energy efficiency foolproof for anyone.

Smart Thermostats Learn What You Like

Smart thermostats understand more than just which settings are the most energy efficient. They can also learn what you like based on how you use the thermostat. The makers of the Nest smart thermostat boast that it only takes a week for their device to learn your preferences and habits. From there the Nest thermostat automates the settings for efficiency and comfort.

This is also the reason the company says its Leaf indicator is different for each family. The Leaf icon lets users know they are using a more efficient temperature setting based on how the person normally uses the HVAC system.

You Can Control Smart Thermostats From Anywhere

One of the most distinct advantages of a smart thermostat is they can be controlled remotely. Sync the device with an app on your phone and you can check the temperature, change the setting or turn the HVAC off completely from anywhere. It’s a great feature for anyone that has kids who don’t understand the concept of HVAC energy efficiency.

Being able to control the smart thermostat remotely also means you can maximize efficiency without sacrificing comfort. If you forgot to change the setting before leaving home it’s not a problem. If the weather changes unexpectedly you’re prepared. That’s the advantage of a smart thermostat.

Get Alerts When Something Isn’t Right

Smart thermostats aren’t passive devices. They can also be reactive. If the device senses something is off, like a dramatic drop in temperature, it will alert you. Depending on the situation, getting a head’s up from the thermostat can increase the safety of your home and save you money.

A smart thermostat is pricier than standard programmable thermostats, but in the long run, it’s worth the investment. Simply installing one is all it takes to lower your utility bills month after month. Within about a year a smart thermostat will pay for itself and then you can pocket the rest.