The Benefits of Upgrading to a Smart Thermostat

For a long time, HVAC thermostats relied on mercury switches and simple metal coils for automatic temperature control. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the first digital and programmable thermostats reached the market. They offered added features like temperature scheduling, which was a vast improvement over manual control. Then, more than 20 years later, in 2007, a company called Ecobee launched the first smart thermostat. This represented a seismic shift in HVAC controls, increasing HVAC efficiency and offering unprecedented feature sets. If you haven’t upgraded your home to a smart thermostat yet, there are multiple compelling reasons to do so. Here are eight of the most important among them.

1. Energy Savings

Did you know that heating and cooling account for over 50% of the average home’s energy use? Anything you can do to trim your HVAC energy use is worth doing. Smart thermostats offer an affordable upgrade that will improve the efficiency of your existing HVAC. They don’t make your HVAC use less energy but decrease your heating and cooling demand through intelligent, automated temperature adjustments. According to ENERGY STAR, any certified smart thermostat can cut your heating and cooling costs by 8%. Manufacturers like Nest claim savings of up to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling annually. The company’s data shows that high-end Ecobee models have achieved up to 26% overall energy savings.

2. Extended HVAC Lifespan

Another reason to upgrade to a smart thermostat is that it will extend your HVAC system’s lifespan. You can expect about 15 years of reliable service from a well-maintained AC unit. A gas furnace might last up to 20 years. Those figures, however, assume a typical heating and cooling workload in your home. A smart thermostat will reduce your HVAC demand and spare your system unnecessary wear and tear. Judging by the reported energy savings detailed above, a smart thermostat should significantly increase your HVAC’s lifespan. They’re a great way to maximize your investment in your HVAC system.

3. Remote System Control

Smart thermostats also feature internet connectivity using Wi-Fi technology. Most come with smartphone apps that allow you to manage your HVAC system from anywhere you’re located. This is a helpful feature if you’re frequently away from home. Imagine, for example, leaving on an extended vacation and realizing you’ve left your AC running frequently. With a conventional thermostat, you’d have no choice but to return home to a huge energy bill. A smart thermostat will let you connect remotely to change your settings, averting that outcome.

4. Enables Helpful System Alerts

Installing a smart thermostat gives you considerable insight into your HVAC operation and helpful system alerts. For example, a smart thermostat can send air filter change alerts based on total blower operating hours. Or it can let you know when your HVAC likely needs repair. It bases those alerts on how well your HVAC responds to your temperature settings. For example, if the thermostat notices the air temperature dropping with the heat on, it could indicate a breakdown. Some models will even proactively turn off your HVAC upon problem detection. This can prevent a small problem from becoming a much larger repair need.

5. Smart Home Integration

Many smart thermostats integrate seamlessly with smart assistants and other smart home technology that is available. This process enables valuable features like voice-operated controls. You can use this technology to ask your voice assistant to report conditions in your home while you’re out. You can also command the smart thermostat to raise or lower the temperature without touching any buttons. Integrating a smart thermostat into your smart home can also help you monitor energy usage. For example, if your home has a smart electrical panel or a battery storage system, they can share data with each other. This can give you helpful insight into how and where your home uses energy so you can make changes as necessary.

6. Geofencing Capabilities

Depending on the smart thermostat you choose, it could have geofencing capabilities. This feature uses GPS data from your smartphone to detect when you come and go from home. The information enables far better temperature control that avoids waste. Using geofencing, your smart thermostat can wait until the perfect moment to activate your HVAC as you approach home. It can also override preprogrammed temperature changes to adjust to changing daily schedules. Best of all, you can enable geofencing-based presence detection for everyone in your home with a smartphone.

7. Remote Sensor Capabilities

Some smart thermostats allow you to use multiple remote sensors to expand your thermostat’s reach. That can help if your existing thermostat’s hardwired installation location isn’t ideal. With remote sensors, you can instruct a smart thermostat to take its temperature readings from a better spot. You can also use multiple sensors to prioritize conditions in different places at different times. You might tell your smart thermostat to focus on conditions in the living room every evening. Then, it could switch its priority to your bedroom overnight. That can ensure you’re comfortable in the parts of your home you inhabit at any given time.

You might also equip your smart thermostat with remote motion sensors. This gives the thermostat’s learning algorithm more data to work with as it studies your daily routine. It can use that data to predict things like when you get out of bed, leave for work, or sit down for dinner. Then, it can modify its settings to offer optimal comfort based on your activity.

8. Improved Indoor Air Quality

Finally, some smart thermostats feature built-in air quality monitoring. They can monitor things like indoor humidity and detect the presence of harmful airborne contaminants like volatile organic compounds. When humidity levels rise too high, they can activate your home’s whole-house dehumidifier to provide better control. They can also alert you when there are air quality issues in your home and offer tips on correcting the problem. Some smart thermostats can even integrate with whole-house air filtration systems. Then, they can activate filtration when necessary and turn it off when unnecessary. This can not only extend your filtration system’s lifespan but also significantly improve everyone’s health in your home.

Local Smart Thermostat Experts

Since 2007, Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric has offered expert HVAC services to residents in and around Los Angeles, CA. That includes selling and installing the latest in quality smart thermostats. We also provide HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance. We also offer complete plumbing services. This includes drain service, sewer repair, water filtration equipment installation, leak detection, water lines, and repiping. Our electrical services include inspections, EV charging station installation, surge protection, outlet installation, lighting, ceiling fans, and wiring.

We’re also EPA-certified and Better Business Bureau accredited with an A+ rating. Add that to our long list of glowing customer reviews, and you’ll know we’re the home services company for you.

If you’d like to upgrade to a smart thermostat in your Los Angeles home, contact Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric today!