Why Are Smart Thermostats Better? (8 Reasons)

When switching from a regular home to a smart home, you consider getting smart TVs, lights, locks, and speakers with voice-activated virtual assistants. Smart thermostats are usually the last thing that comes to mind because it is one device that doesn’t add security and entertainment value. But what makes them better than conventional ones?

Why Are Smart Thermostats Better?

Smart thermostats are better because they allow you to track your energy use and minimize energy costs. You can also control your home’s temperature remotely, so it’s already warm and cozy even before you arrive. Smart thermostats also have sensors that make them convenient.

This article will discuss why going for a smart thermostat or switching from a conventional one makes sense. It will explain each benefit in detail, and you will see how it can save you time and money.

You can track your energy consumption

A smart thermostat tracks your energy consumption and provides you with energy reports. These reports will inform you how much electricity your heat and cooling system uses. You will also know how much your energy consumption changes over time, so you’ll know how much it helps you towards your energy efficiency goals.

These energy consumption reports can also give you tips on adjusting your cooling and heating behaviors to decrease your energy costs further and save even more money in the long run.

Smart thermostats save money by lessening energy costs

Smart thermostats can help most users save money because you can keep track of your energy usage as far as your cooling and heating system is concerned, and you can make adjustments and minimize your energy costs. 

A smart thermostat automatically adjusts your home’s heating and cooling temperature settings for optimal performance.

Aside from energy tracking, your smart thermostat will also be able to schedule your HVAC so that it runs only when you are at home.

With conventional thermostats, homeowners aren’t willing to turn their heater or air conditioning off while they’re out because they don’t want to come home to a very cold or very hothouse.

But with a smart thermostat, you can schedule it to start cooling or warming your home before you arrive. 

Simply put, this scheduling feature offers you comfort with zero waiting time and allows you to save energy while you’re out. 

Because it can proactively manage your climate-control system in a way that traditional thermostats can’t, saving energy is a natural byproduct.

Ecobee smart thermostats, for instance, guarantee that you can save about 23 percent on heating and cooling costs.

Meanwhile, the Nest Thermostat promises 15 percent savings on cooling and 10 to 12 percent on heating costs. In fact, according to Nest Learning Thermostat, it can start paying for itself in less than two years of use.

You can control it remotely

You can control smart thermostats remotely through its accompanying mobile app as long as there’s a Wi-Fi connection. Using your smartphone, you will be able to turn your thermostat on or off, as well as indicate your temperature preferences.

So, if you are coming home from a long, tiring day at work and want it to be at a specific temperature, you can set your thermostat even while you’re still on your way. 

That means always coming home to a place that’s already comfortable and cozy. You also don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn off your HVAC system because the app allows you to check anytime.

A smart thermostat tracks the weather and has air quality sensors

Newer smart thermostat models can track the latest weather reports in your area with your Wi-Fi network. Your thermostat will then adjust your house’s temperature depending on the weather.

If things are cold and chilly outside, it will turn up the heat of your HVAC system so that you can stay comfortably warm at home. If it’s scorching outside, your thermostat will turn temperatures cooler than usual.

Some have built-in self-learning functions

There are smart thermostats that have long-term learning capabilities. This means that your thermostat will take cues from your behavior, including your temperature preferences and usage from day to day and week to week, and will use this information to build its schedule around your own. 

So, for example, you always turn on your thermostat at 4:00 in the afternoon, from Monday to Friday, and set it to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 degrees Celsius). So even if you forget, your thermostat will automatically do it.

Of course, your smart thermostat will use this feature in tandem with its motion sensors and weather tracker.

This cooperative function allows your thermostat to adjust temperature settings as seasons change or as more people are inside.

It adjusts to a cooler temperature if many warm bodies are gathered in the house or sunny outside. And if there are fewer people, or if it is a rainy day, your thermostat would warm things inside.

Smart thermostats learn your habits and can sense when you are home or away, allowing for even smarter and more efficient control.

A smart thermostat has motion sensors

Smart thermostats also have built-in motion sensors that tell if people are inside the house. It knows when you and your family are busy preparing for work and school, leaving the house individually when you’re all gone, and when you return home. 

These sensors will build a heating and cooling schedule with the thermostat’s self-learning function. If more people are inside the house, which makes the place warmer, it will adjust the temperature so it still feels comfortably cool. 

With these capabilities, you can eventually forget about your thermostat because it will do everything for you.

Smart thermostats have more user-friendly designs

A smart thermostat has a more user-friendly design than an ordinary thermostat. It is accurate and informative, which greatly benefits its usability.

It has a more straightforward interface and a larger, clearer temperature display that you can read from a few feet away.

You no longer have to come too close or to squint to see the tiny numbers on a poorly lit display.

And because it comes with an app you can install on your mobile device, you don’t have to look for the right mini buttons to press.

You can connect it to other smart devices (Echo)

Smart thermostats are compatible with your other smart devices, and you can program them to work seamlessly together. For example, you can program your lights and thermostat to turn on simultaneously. 

You can also integrate your smart speakers, like Amazon Echo or Google Home, into smart thermostats to control the latter through voice commands without using your hands. This way, you don’t have to carry your smartphone all the time when you’re just at home.

You can tell Alexa to turn up your room’s heat or adjust your HVAC to a specific temperature, which will communicate with your thermostat.

Conclusion

Many things make smart thermostats better than conventional or non-smart ones. This device has many advanced features, making it much more convenient and comfortable for you and your family.

It has weather tracking, motion sensors, a learning function, and connectivity with your home’s smart speakers and other smart devices. However, energy efficiency is the best reason you should make the switch.

They inform you about your energy use and allow you to reduce your energy costs eventually.