Smart thermostats have their pros which come in the form of energy-efficiency and money savings, but they also have their cons. The cons to a smart thermostat are that you have to have wi-fi to use them and that their savings come from the times you’re not in the house (which may not be that common these days).
Smart thermostats continue to grow in popularity with the market being estimated to reach a total value of 2.8 billion USD by 2025. As the interest in smart home devices grows so too does the number of smart thermostats being sold. While many welcome the growing trend with open arms for all the benefits that they have to offer, some still reject the idea and instead stick with the thermostats they have grown to know over the years.
Installing a Smart Thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat is fairly straightforward, and they wire up much the same way traditional electronic thermostats do. Your new thermostat will come with a wiring guide in the installation manual. If you have any trouble with the installation you should contact a licensed technician or the manufacturer for additional help.
Pros and Cons of Using a Smart Thermostat
Below I highlight all of the pros and cons there are to investing in a smart thermostat – I cover who and what situations they are ideal for, and who would probably be better off with a standard electronic thermostat. After reading you will be able to make the decision if a smart thermostat is right for you or not.
I’m also going to go over some of the best smart thermostat brands on the market so you can start looking for the model that’s right for you.
Pros
1. Energy efficient
Programmable thermostats offer peak energy efficiency by allowing the user to program them according to their schedule, and in turn, minimizing energy usage. For example, you can have your thermostat shut off Monday-Friday at 8 A.M. and have it turn on automatically, so by the time you get home at 5 P.M. the air inside your home will be at the set temperature.
2. Set-it and Forget-it
The great thing about them is that you no longer have to safeguard the thermostat to make sure nobody messes with your long-perfected levels of comfort, looking at you dads. Once the smart thermostat is programmed according to your schedule you never have to mess with it again.
3. Remote Control
Smart thermostats work in connectivity with the wireless internet in your home. This allows you to have complete control of your heating and air conditioning through an app on your phone, no matter where you’re at. Should somebody dare adjust the temperature at the thermostat, you can just pull out your smartphone and change it back, because you pay the bills around here.
While they are not many, the time has come to highlight the cons of the smart thermostat. If you stick around and still feel like buying one at the end, I am going to list some of the more popular brands on the market today.
Cons
1. Empty = Efficiency
In order for the smart thermostat to have the intended efficiency-effects, there needs to be a period of time during the day that the house is empty. If there is always somebody at home then the HVAC system is never going to have time during the day to shut off and save you money. This can be a problem today, especially if you work from home.
2. No wi-fi, No Use.
If there is no wi-fi in the home then there isn’t really a need or reason to install a smart thermostat. They were designed to work in unison with wi-fi connectivity, and if you take that out of the picture, well then all you’re really left with is a cool looking thermostat.
Top Smart Thermostats
Now that you are aware of all the benefits that the smart thermostat has to offer you I am going to give you the inside scoop on some of the top-performing brands and models on the market today.
1. [amazon link=”B075BF6V58″ title=”Honeywell Home” /]
Honeywell is a longstanding name in the thermostat world so it is no surprise they continue to offer the latest in in-home comfort innovation.
2. [amazon link=”B08HRPDYTP” title=”Google Nest” /]
Google’s nest was made with the vision of total smart home control in mind. Made to work in connection with Google Home devices, you will be able to control the temperature with your voice from anywhere in the house.
3. [amazon link=”B07W6XVSGY” title=”Bosch Smart Thermostat” /]
This is a more affordable option when it comes to smart thermostats but it sacrifices none of the quality. After all the whole reason behind getting a smart thermostat is to save money, so you might as well save some on the thermostat itself too.
Closing
Smart thermostats are not for everybody, but they do offer genuine benefits when it comes to energy conservation and saving money. If your house is empty for any number of hours throughout the day then a smart thermostat might be the right choice for you. A little extra money every month never hurt anybody, especially in unpredictable times like these.
