Your home’s thermostat may seem like a minor player in the overall comfort game, but it can significantly impact temperatures and, ultimately, your energy bills. Choosing the right thermostat is as important as drafting the top pick. That’s why Ernst Heating & Cooling of Metro East IL, offers a selection of thermostat options, including “smart” thermostats that can give you the heating and cooling edge with precision control and other savvy features.
Are you ready to make a smart upgrade to your thermostat? Ernst Heating & Cooling details why this investment can pay you back in comfort and savings.
What’s so important about the thermostat?
When you’re living in the Midwest, you know a few things about winter temperature swings. But did you know that heating is the top energy consumer in most homes? If you heat your home with gas or electricity, about 60 percent of your home’s energy use goes toward heating costs. Your thermostat senses the room temperature and adjusts the heating and cooling accordingly. Your old-school thermostats do a decent job keeping the temperatures steady, but a smart thermostat graduates to the next level.
Why is it called a smart thermostat?
If the thermostat can attach itself to your home’s Wi-Fi, it’s earned the smart moniker. But, just as there were different types of smart students in your fifth-grade classroom, there are different levels of smart thermostats on the heating and cooling market. Some may simply be attached to a phone app that allows you to adjust the temperature without getting off the recliner. Some of the higher-end models will try to learn your habits and routines to adjust the temperatures around your schedule. Check out how these smart thermostats make a difference in your home.
Precision temperature control. Your old-school thermostats relied on a metal temperature sensor within the unit. When you nudged the temperature up or down, the thermostat may have overcompensated initially to bring you closer to the desired setting. Keep in mind, too, that older thermostats focus on a temperature range rather than a precise setting.
Smart thermostats, on the other hand, have digital sensors that are adept at reading the room. Ideally, your home should stay within 1 degree of the setting. Fewer temperature swings can translate to reduced energy costs.
Smart solutions. As noted above, some smart thermostats are built to learn. You can set your smart thermostats on a schedule that turns up the heat while you’re home and turns it down while you’re away or sleeping. But some thermostats can track when your family is out of the house, adjusting the home’s temperature while you’re gone. Some models can even suggest adjusting the settings to reach an ideal schedule.
Energy savings. Ernst Heating & Cooling customers are savvy, so we’re not surprised that you’re wondering if a smart thermostat can make a difference in your energy bills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the answer is yes. The agency’s studies suggested that smart thermostats meeting Energy Star criteria can save up to 8 percent on utility bills.
Manual adjustments at your fingertips. When you take the family on vacation, it’s best to adjust your home’s settings so you’re not paying to heat or cool an empty home. If you remember this important step while waiting in line for the roller coaster, you can pull up your thermostat app and make the change while you’re thousands of miles from home. You can also monitor your home’s temperature while you’re at work and the kids are at home. We’re not saying they might hike up the heat or blast the AC. We’re just saying that a smart thermostat lets you oversee what’s happening.
Let Ernst Heating & Cooling help you choose the best smart thermostat
If you want to learn more about smart thermostat solutions, let Ernst Heating & Cooling help you make this important decision. Schedule an appointment now at 618.217.1836 now or fill out our online form. Be smart about your home’s heating and cooling capabilities, and save money with this important investment!