The Smart Thermostat is the Key to Energy Savings and Comfort

Smart thermostats.

The name may conjure up an image of a thermostat sitting in a classroom. Or a high-tech gadget you’re more likely to see on “Shark Tank.”

But the best part about this little invention is its ability to “learn” your family’s habits so that it can adjust your home’s heating and cooling. This saves energy and cuts down on your utility costs.

How it Works

Smart thermostats use a series of sensors, algorithms and machine learning to gauge when your family is home or sleeping and environmental factors to judge your home’s best temperature.

The majority of these little gadgets use Wi-Fi to connect with an app on your phone. That means that you can also control your home’s temperature, no matter where you are. So, if you had turned up the air the night before and forgot to turn it down before leaving for work, you can readjust it from your desk.

They also allow you to program a set schedule for both weekdays and weekends. That way, the heat kicks on before you get up to shower in January. Or it can bring the temperature down in the house while you’re driving home from work in July.

What Can Smart Thermostats Do?

Smart thermostats can do a number of things their traditional counterparts cannot, including:

• Learn. A smart thermostat can learn your habits. If you like it cool when you get home from work or hot when you take a shower in the morning, it will memorize your routines.
• Track your energy use. Smart thermostats also help you save energy by tracking how you use electricity. You can use your routine with the thermostat’s energy-saving presets to help save energy during the heat of summer or the cold of winter.
• Work with Alexa. If you use Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple Siri, you can pair your thermostat with the device so you can control it with simple voice commands.
• Automate. If you have a smart home set up, you can add most smart thermostats to your automation apps. Set your home to turn down the thermostat, turn off your smart lights and arm your security system for a safe and energy-conscious home.

How it Saves Money

According to data gathered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, smart thermostats that meet ENERGY STAR guidelines save users an average of 8% a month on utility bills.

In most homes, the HVAC system uses more energy than any other device. So, if you’re able to keep your home warmer or colder when you’re not there or when you’re asleep, you cut down on your energy use. Or maybe you forgot to set your thermostat when you left for vacation. A smart device will either figure out you’re not home or you can change the temperature from your phone anywhere in the world.

Your Brooklyn cooling experts at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning can help you choose which smart thermostat will work best with your system. Call us today at (718) 748-1254 or contact us online to talk with us about our selection of smart thermostats.