And, 3
Have you been thinking about getting a smart thermostat? If you have been considering it, you are probably thinking you want it because it will save energy and therefore save you money. You also may be hesitant to be bothered getting it because you might question whether smart thermostats really save money or not. The Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, says that smart thermostats, or even just programmable thermostats, will indeed save you money. They expect the average person to save about $200 a year by using a smart thermostat. That is about $15 a month. Whether you think that amount of savings is worth the hassle of getting a new AC component put in your house or not is up to you. If you are even slightly handy around the house, though, you can probably install a programmable or smart thermostat yourself. If you are diligent about changing the setting on your programmable thermostat, you really don’t need a smart thermostat. The problem is that studies show that about half the people actually do not adjust the thermostat accordingly for when they will not be in the house for a long time. In other words, they know they are going to the office for 9 hours, but they don’t bother to turn their air conditioning on by setting it to 3 degrees or more. Smart thermostats can help because they 1. Learn your habits and adjust your settings accordingly. 2. They monitor your usage and Share information with you. And, 3. They work hard while you are away. If you are really good about watching what is happening with your HVAC equipment, perhaps you do not need a smart thermostat. If you are like me, though, and have lots of other things to worry about, you might decide to get a smart thermostat who can work hard for you while you are working hard to pay your reduced utility bill.