Do I Need A Smart Thermostat

Pros of Smart Thermostats

Updated January 1, 1 . AmFam Team

Thinking about installing smart home tech in your house? Take a look at just a few main reasons people prefer smart thermostats over regular ones.

If you have a busy schedule, haven’t mastered a programmable thermostat or are often away from home, a smart thermostat might be a smart investment for you. It can make controlling the temp in your house easier and save you money each year — not to mention give you the bragging rights of having a smart home!

Installing Smart Thermostats

Manufacturers design smart thermostats to be installed by you — the homeowner — so usually it’s as simple as disconnecting the old thermostat and hooking up the new one. If you’re not confident you can do it, your local HVAC expert can help — it should take them less than an hour to install!

What's so Great About Smart Thermostats?

Smart thermostats adapt to schedule changes. Using your smart phone, tablet or computer, it’s easy to change the temperature, or schedule changes, wherever you are.

They’re easier to read. Older thermostats require you to get up and manually set them. They aren’t easy to read because the print is small and the display typically isn’t backlit. Smart thermostats feature bigger, brighter screens and you can check your thermostat without getting off the sofa or out of bed — talk about luxury!

Daylight savings time is no challenge to smart thermostats. Smart thermostats automatically change time when daylight saving time ends or starts.

Track your home temp. You can check on your home’s temp while on vacation, at work or on a business trip. Plus, many smart thermostats will send you an email alert if the temperature gets too high or too low. Great for vacation homes and businesses.

Manage your energy usage. You can easily program your thermostat to go up or down based on when you are typically at work, asleep or away from home. Some include motion sensors so the system can tell when you are in rooms. Many models also provide you with data about your heating/cooling usage so you can make any needed adjustments and save money.

Pre-heat your home. Heading to your cottage in the winter? Turn up the heat from your phone so it’s the right temp when you arrive.

Looking for other innovative ways to make life easier and keep your family safe? Meet Ring (Opens in a new tab) — there’s no doorbell quite like it!

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