Smart Thermostats - Learning Thermostats Can Reduce Heating/AC

 

In the How is Electricity Used in U.S. Homes page, space cooling was the largest use of electricity at 13% and space heating was the 4th largest use of electricity at 9%, together that is 22%.  Having successfully and cheaply cut my lighting electrical use, it was now time to tackle heating and cooling electrical use.

 

I looked into a number of programmable and smart thermostats.  The programmable thermorstats are not typically well layed out. They are clunky, have many digital pages (some make sense and others don't).  They are definitely cheaper than smart thermostats, but you get what you pay for.  

 

The smart thermostats typically work with your smart phone.  They are very visual, which most people are after years of smart phone and computer use.  Some smart thermostats were simpler to set up than others.  Some are aestheticly pleasing, others are boring. What you want out of the smart thermostat is four things.  First, it needs to be easy to setup and operate.  That means that it should be easy to program the daily schedule and should be easily viewed in a screen.  Second, you should be able to calculate savings made when adjusting temperatures.  Third, the thermostat should be adaptive.  It should recognize human movement patterns. Whether it is going to bed and the lights are shut off and there is no motion.  It should be able to predict, through predictive analytics comings and goings, and adjusting the temperatures thusly.  Fourth, it shoud be affordable.  The prices vary from $75 to $250. Utility companies are beginning to help with the purchase through some sort of subsidization.  

 

Check it out.