Ideal for saving the planet and your money, too.
Have you had the heating on yet? What temperature do you set the thermostat to? How do you get those damned timers to work properly?
Yep, us Brits love to discuss our central heating setups, perhaps even more than we like a chinwag about the weather or a water cooler debrief of Saturday’s Strictly. But let’s be honest, for a nation so conversant in thermostats and febricity, we don’t actually use ours to its full potential. Features are left unloved, dials not twiddled and ultimately, energy is wasted.
Don’t be that guy. Your device can do so much better than that. With this in mind, here’s the IDEAL guide on why you should switch to a smart thermostat, IDEAL for saving the planet and your money, too.
SO, WHAT ARE SMART THERMOSTATS?
Once open a time, the self appointed controller of heat in the household would simply turn a few knobs on the radiator when Winter rolled around, and that would be that until Spring.
Smart thermostats (also known as WiFi thermostats), on the other hand, are programmable thermostats designed to control home temperatures automatically and responsively. They feature relatively advanced technology which makes them stand out from conventional kinds of thermostats.
FEATURES OF WIFI THERMOSTATS
But what is this advanced technology you speak of? Below are some of the main features of WiFi thermostats;
Remote access – a fully functioning WiFi thermostat should have remote accessibility. It should come with an app or be able to be controlled online, from afar (or from your bed, if you’re feeling lazy!).
Automation – these thermostats also need to be able to interact with other smart devices. This allows for effortless home automation, potentially opening the door to voice controlled heating, amongst other perks.
Thermostat learning – this element helps the devices to learn your routines and habits so that they can make adjustments to your heating and temperature settings automatically. Some might find this part a little invasive; we find it pretty useful!
Alerts – the best WiFi thermostat features the ability to alert you when temperatures drop or rise. This feature is especially beneficial when you are on vacation or away from home for any reason.
Geofencing – this is a home away function that allows your device to track your geolocation when you are close to home so that it can adjust the HVAC settings before you walk in.
Movement sensors – the best intelligent thermostats come with movement sensors to detect activity or movement around the house. This feature helps with scheduling and keeping particular parts of the house warmer or cooler in line with room occupation.
REDUCED ENERGY BILLS
Incredible stuff, but won’t this come at a huge cost?
Well, not really. In fact, one of the main advantages that WiFi thermostats have over conventional ones is that they actually facilitate your home consuming less energy. This is especially the case with programmable thermostats.
In short, they are energy-saving because they allow you to schedule when the thermostat goes on and off, depending on your schedule. This means that the device doesn’t have to keep running throughout the day, hence saving energy costs.
WiFi thermostats also allow you to use the correct temperature zoned, which reduces unnecessary energy consumption. And the more it learns about your behaviour, the more your heating can be fine tuned to be as energy efficient as possible.
In addition to reducing your energy costs, these devices also allow you to monitor the amount of energy you’re using, coming with a monitoring system that keeps track of your energy consumption. This means that if there are any changes that increase your energy consumption levels, you can find out and make the necessary adjustments.
EASE OF CONTROL
WiFi thermostats, like the name suggests, are compatible with smart devices. This means that you can sync them with your smartphone via a dedicated mobile app. After linking the device to your phone, you can monitor and control it using the app, wherever you are.
For instance, as long as you have fully functioning WiFi, you can adjust the heating and HVAC settings directly from your phone. This element also allows you to manage your device even when you aren’t home; you can make changes to the temperature changes in your house when you are away on holiday or at work, priming your pad to be the perfect environment when you walk through the door. This is much easier than manually managing your conventional thermostat.
WiFi thermostats also have built-in learning functions. These elements allow the device to learn your habits and when the heating needs to be on and off. The aspect also allows the device to make changes to the schedules accordingly. By doing so, the device can self-adjust, and you do not have to make changes to the settings of the device manually. This level of intelligence and adaptability means you never have to lift a finger to achieve your preferred home ambience.
ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS
WiFi thermostats also boast a lower carbon footprint than conventional controlling methods. In fact, it’s been said that smart thermostats can reduce your heating costs by 31%; and a reduction in usage of a third certainly translates to a lighter load on the environment.
Indeed, according to Outrider, ‘’smart thermostats provide the means to make intelligent choices that cut down on the use of fossil-fuel energy sources by learning our heating and cooling preferences’’. An addition to the home which makes life more comfortable, saves on bills and lowers your carbon footprint…what’s not to love?
THE BOTTOM LINE
Switching from a conventional to a smart thermostat is certainly a move worth considering. Of course, the main downside is the investment in the device itself, but considering the average cost of one is around £150, the move soon makes financial sense. Good luck, and what temperature do you like to set yours?
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