Cut Those Energy Costs With These 4 Smart Thermostat Tips
“I just love to throw money into an energy bill dumpster fire,” said no one ever. And we get it – energy bills are expensive, especially in states like Texas where the average one is $215 per month for electricity. Using appliances like washing machines and stoves all the time is a pretty big contributor, but the top spot goes to heating and cooling.
That’s where a smart thermostat swoops in to save the day. It’s basically a thermostat that comes with a bunch of awesome features, like smart sensors, energy and usage reports, and temperature adjustments based on humidity or certain weather conditions. Some smart thermostats solely rely on a touchscreen display, while others utilize a smartphone app. The latter is also a nice-to-have because you can control the smart thermostat’s features without ever leaving your couch!
High-tech stuff aside, smart thermostats can cut your utility bill down by about 8-10% per month. So as an example, if your energy bill is $100 per month, you’ll save $8-$10, which is $96-$120 in a year. And if you live in an area where temperatures are extreme (aka, too hot or too cold), then you’ll probably save even more money.
Here are four ways you can put more money in your pocket with a smart thermostat.
1. Area-Specific Temperature Control
As if smart thermostats weren’t already cool enough, the area-specific temperature control feature adjusts the temperature of a specific area based on its occupancy. In layman’s terms, if you spend a lot of time binge-watching Netflix shows in your living area, with proper installation and zoning in place the smart thermostat can direct the heating or cooling to that specific area. The same thing goes for other areas in the house. This is also particularly beneficial for big houses or homes with multiple levels where temperature control is a giant pain in the you-know-what.
Moreover, some smart thermostats let you customize the temperature settings of each area, which is especially handy for those with specific needs. (Example: being unable to sleep well unless it’s nice n’ cool in the bedroom.)
Bart’s has the installation smarts to help get your home zoned and ready to use this smart thermostat feature to save you money because it’s not wasting energy on unoccupied areas.
2. Energy-Saving Insights
Smart thermostats are like a mentor you never knew you needed. And that mentor provides real-time data on your energy usage, showing you how much energy you’re using and giving you tips on how to reduce your overall energy consumption.
Here’s an example: the smart thermostat may show you which hours of the day you’re using the most energy and suggest adjusting your temperature settings during those periods. Pretty cool, eh?
The data may look different depending on which smart thermostat you use, but some examples that you may find in a standard energy report include:
● Runtime savings
● Estimated savings
● Estimated savings since registration
● Temperature hold benchmark
By staying up-to-speed with your smart thermostat’s energy reports, you’ll (hopefully) make informed decisions to lower your energy usage going forward.
3. Remote Temperature Control
Picture this: you’re at a grocery store when you suddenly think, “I forgot to turn off the heat/AC in my home!” It happens to the best of us, and luckily, a smart thermostat lets you adjust the temperature of your home remotely. Being within a certain range or proximity of your home doesn’t matter either, as you can be away on business or on vacation in Bora Bora and still change your home’s temperature settings.
All you need to do is grab a device (like a smartphone, tablet, or computer) to modify the smart thermostat from (almost) anywhere, though mobile apps on smartphones are usually the go-to method. And if you do use an app, you can also view your energy usage reports, check the humidity levels of your home, control temperature schedules, etc.
In short, being able to adjust your home’s temperature settings from far away will conserve energy and save money in the long run.
4. Integration with Smart Devices
Smart thermostats can integrate with other smart devices in your home, which means you can make your home all fancy and high-tech with a smart home system. You can do so by connecting your smart thermostat with something like smart lighting or smart blinds to automate energy usage without even thinking twice about it.
So as an example, if you’re leaving home for the day, the smart lighting system can turn off all the lights in your home, while the smart blinds can be closed to block sunlight and keep your home cooler.
Need More Ways to Lower Your Energy Costs?
Sometimes, the cause of a high energy bill is due to your heating or air conditioning system, and a smart thermostat can only do so much. Luckily, we’re here to help with A/C duct installs, furnace installs, air filters, you name it. Just contact us at (940) 969-4966 or [email protected] for even more energy-saving options!