What is a Smart Thermostat?
- Manage through an app – many smart thermostats allow access to an app for easy control while away from home.
- Geofencing – typically tied to the app usage, when your phone leaves a certain radius from your home, the thermostat will automatically adjust to an away mode. This can lead to greater energy savings that may not have been part of a programmed schedule.
- Energy usage reports – smart thermostats provide you with a detailed energy report, which helps ensure your HVAC system is performing efficiently and can provide insights into energy bill savings.
- Sensors – built-in sensors like humidity sensing can help ensure greater comfort and savings in your home.
Energy Savings
According to Energy.gov, adjusting the thermostat in the summer back by 7-10⁰ for 8 hours can lead to a 10% savings on your energy bill. When considering the purchase of a smart thermostat, look for the ENERGY STAR® logo for even greater savings.
Look for more savings when purchasing a smart thermostat. Check with your local utility to see if they offer a rebate program. If you take advantage of a utility rebate, you could receive additional savings off the purchase of a smart thermostat. Here’s a special thermostat rebate provided by Dominion Energy.
Consider pairing the smart thermostat with other energy-efficient and saving products such as LED lighting, temperature sensors, and appliance plugs. With our BrightSuite app, all these energy-saving and efficient items can be controlled all in one app.
Why do homeowners like them?
Don’t take our word for it. Over 16% of homes in the US had a smart thermostat installed as of 2018, and that number keeps growing. One customer shared her experience of using her smart thermostat:
I’m out of the house during the day which means I’m saving money when not at home. When I leave on vacation, I set the thermostat to ‘hold’ at a higher or lower temperature for energy savings. When I’m in route back home, I use the BrightSuite app to adjust the temperature and begin to get my home ready and comfortable upon my return. I also like how my smart thermostat provides me with a monthly status report to show how ‘healthy’ my system has been running. – Alison
