As warmer weather comes to where you live, you may be gladly anticipating all that goes with summer, such as outdoor grilling, a few laps in the pool, or a warm morning jog to start the day. But what you are likely not looking forward to is the cost of consistently cooling your home, especially now given we’re in the house much more often during the COVID-19 outbreak.
We’re here with some tips and tricks to help with that. If you are still using an old manual thermostat, which is one with a dial or switch to adjust the temperature setting, this is a great time to upgrade to a smart thermostat for better, more efficient use of your home’s air conditioning system and more savings on energy costs.
When you consider that about half of your home’s energy costs come from heating and cooling, a smart thermostat is a good investment in savings for seasons, and years, to come.
When programmable thermostats came along a few decades ago, they were a game-changer when it came to controlling a home’s heating and cooling system. Prior to that, with manual thermostats, you had to remember to adjust your thermostat every day before you left the house, then, when you returned, wait adjust it once more to reach the desired temperature of the evening; That meant having to endure additional minutes of chill in the winter, and dealing with the thick humidity of the summer after a long day.
A programmable thermostat was the set-it-and-forget-it way to manage your home comfort. You could program it for weekdays, weekends, vacations, and more. Smart thermostats take all the benefits of a programmable thermostat and add even more versatility that you can enjoy in real-time.
A smart thermostat gives you the power to program and adjust your thermostat with unmatched precision so you have cooling (and heating) when you need it, but only when you need it.
Many present-day models allow you to control your settings directly through your smartphone, so you can check your thermostat settings even when you’re on vacation. No more worries that you forget to turn off the air conditioning system before leaving, and, you can program it so your home is perfectly cooled to your desired temperature when you arrive back.
A smart thermostat also monitors your home’s HVAC system: It can notify you when you need to change the air filter, when you need to schedule system maintenance, and how much energy your system is using, with many having an eco-mode that conserves energy when not in use.
These devices are always learning, too: About your habits, your ideal temperature settings and even what areas of your home you frequent the most; all to accommodate for maximum efficiency.
Interested in installing a smart thermostat, or still looking to learn more about specific makes and models? Check out the most popular models and user reviews from TechHive.
Another way to save money is to become a Discount Power customer. Our enrollment process is easy; in just a few minutes and you can get started on taking more control of your home’s energy costs and saving money on them as well! We offer a range of options to fit your budget, needs, and term length, and even have Green Energy options so you can feel good about the energy you are using.
Contact us to get started and leave those summer energy cost worries behind.