It’s a smart world and we’re all just living in it. Overtime technology has progressed so far that we went from having hybrid cars to fully electric cars. In the same way, you would find that robots and machinery are replacing manual labor within manufacturing factories and industries too. So it is no different when you look at households switching to using smart devices instead of their regular counterparts – why is that though?
Smart devices bring with them the ease of home automation in an inexpensive manner, along with the benefit of home security and energy efficiency. And one of the most commonly sought after smart devices happen to be Smart Thermostats. That is because the heating and cooling system of a home accounts for quite a significant chunk of the utility bills, so why not switch to an alternative that provides the option of saving money as well as making more efficient use of the system?
How Are Smart Thermostats Better Than Ordinary Ones
- They feature their own mobile applications that serve as the control center, and allow for remote and wireless control of the device.
- These devices come with the technology that allows them to automatically adjust temperatures and switch the device on or off based on room occupancy, motion detection or even mobile location tracking.
- They are voice assistant compatible, and with certain kinds of Zigbee and Z-Wave hubs.
Now that you know the basics of what smart thermostats are generally like, here are our top picks of smart thermostats that would be a great investment into your homes; and you can find free thermostat installation services at FirstEnergy Home’s website: www.firstenergyhome.com.
Google Nest Learning Thermostat
Retail Price: $249.00
One of the best contenders of smart thermostats is the Google Nest Learning Thermostat. Hailing from Google’s Nest range that features different kinds of smart products, the Nest Learning Thermostat is definitely one worth the investment. Here’s how the device essentially works.
After installation, the Nest Learning Thermostat is connected to the home Wi-Fi network, and then configured from its mobile application – the Google Home app. Once the device is set up on the app, here is what you can basically do. Since smart Thermostats have mobile applications that serve as a ‘remote’ for the device itself – that means you won’t have to manually make adjustments or be at the mercy of that little device mounted onto the wall. You could be standing in the mall and have access to your Nest Learning Thermostat! Switch your device on or off from your smartphones and tablets, and the Nest Learning Thermostat is also compatible with certain hubs as well as voice assistants – especially the Google Assistant.
What’s more, is that as its name suggests, the Nest Learning Thermostat quite literally learns your preferred temperature settings overtime, and can automatically adjust itself accordingly throughout the day. It also turns itself down if it notices that you’re away.
The Nest Learning Thermostat is known to save an average of 10% to 12% on heating bills, and around 15% on cooling bills, as stated by independent studies.
Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat
Retail Price: $169.00
As we mentioned above, the Honeywell Home T9 is a smart thermostat that works like the rest of them – controlled via its mobile application. The device uses geo-fencing technology to determine whether you’re home or away, and uses that to create a comfortable home environment, while also cutting back on unnecessary energy consumption. Throughout the day the T9 automatically adjusts the temperature to keep your home cozy at all times.
Similar to the Nest Learning Thermostat, the T9 also learns your home’s temperature settings gradually so it can adjust on its own accordingly. It even sends in alerts to your mobile devices anytime a filter needs changing, or temperatures change drastically. The Honeywell Home app can track the energy consumption patterns, which is accessible to you form the app – but it also provides tips on how to be more energy efficient or any areas which could use some improvement.
With the T9 smart thermostat however, you can buy additional Smart Room Sensors, which help focus on individual rooms. This allows you to switch temperatures in different rooms without having it set one for the entire household itself. It’s great because every individual has different preferences when it comes to the temperature of the thermostat. These sensors can also be programmed to focus on occupied rooms, which means if someone is only passing by or just quickly grabbing something from their room, the thermostat will remain switched off.
More so, smart thermostats are usually pretty easy to install by ourselves, but of course there is no harm in asking for assistance, given that FirstEnergy provides free installation services to its customers. You can check out more categories smart home devices, or even just more variety of smart thermostats on www.firstenergyhome.com to see how the two devices mentioned above compare to the rest in terms of pricing and the features that they have to offer.
