energy savings, depending on the time of day,” says Ruben Sanchez, owner of Mission, Texas-headquartered Colair, Inc., an HVAC servicing company. For better results with a smart thermostat, try the following tips:
n Ask an HVAC professional for a recommendation. “An expert can suggest which smart thermostat will work best with your heating and cooling system,” says Sanchez. n Choose a unit with the right technology. “Many smart thermostats today come with sensors that allow you to control the temperature of various rooms separately and based on who is using them,” Evans explains. “For example, if you rarely have guests, you don’t need to heat and cool your guest room to the same degree you do a automatically adjust By Erik J. Martin heavily used room like Save money on energy costs programming based on CTW Features your living room. The this to save you money. t’s downright chilly by following these tips sensors on some units outside. And that But it’s important to can even help automakes it challenging used correctly – they Louisiana State Unicarefully program and matically detect when to keep your indoor cli- can save energy and versity in Baton Rouge, set up your device so someone enters the mate comfortable. But money on your heatLouisiana, agrees. that you can maximize room and start adjusting and electric bills,” you can get a better “Smart thermostats your savings.” ing the temperature says Julie Ryan Evans, handle on regulating are relatively inexpenThis is particularly accordingly.” Additionyour interior tempera- consumer editor for sive and, if used prop- true as the pandemic ally, try to choose a SecurityNerd.com in tures by replacing an erly, are projected to persists, and we contin- unit with as much auOrlando, Florida. “The produce energy savings ue to work and study outdated thermostat tomation capability as key, however, is that with a smart one or relative to the costs of from home. possible. “A smart therfine-tuning your exist- you have to use a smart the device. And beyond “We are all home mostat that works with thermostat correctly. ing smart thermostat. personal savings, a more often lately. As your voice assistant or You can’t just install It’s simply a matter of well-programmed unit the weather changes smart home platform one, sit back, and wait can reduce pollution dollars and sense, say throughout the day, is great, but it’s more for the savings to roll the experts. from electricity genera- you want your HVAC important to have one in.” “Smart thermostats tion,” he notes. “What’s system to work at its with geolocation feaCody Nehiba, asoffer a simple and conmore, some smart optimum without tures for multiple users. venient way to control sistant professor of thermostats can learn draining your walThat way, the unit research in the Center about your temperathe temperature of let. Even a one-degree can respond correctly ture preferences and difference can lead to to whether anyone is your home and – when for Energy Studies at
Improve your smart thermostat IQ
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February 26, 2021
RE-Weekly
home or not – not just the owner,” says David Mead, founder of smart home tech blog LinkdHOME.com, based in New York City. n Install your thermostat correctly. Choose the right location, ideally in a central spot on the main level of your home that sees the most traffic. “If you install your smart thermostat by a door or drafty window, it may not get an accurate reading,” cautions Evans. n Set a schedule. If your comings and goings are fairly regular, you can manually set a schedule on your smart thermostat. “During the day when you’re gone, you can give the system a break – then set it to reach a desired level of comfort by the time you return home. And if your schedule changes, no problem; you can always adjust the temperature via an app on your phone,” suggests Evans. n Understand your energy billing structure. “For example, time-of-use rates vary throughout the day and peak when electricity demand is highest – typically around 5 to 8 p.m.,” Nehiba says. “You can minimize your bills by using less electricity during these peak periods.” 5
