Is a New Thermostat Worth the Investment?

Smart thermostats, such as those from Honeywell, Nest and Ecobee, do much more than simply regulate temperature. They have become an important component of a home’s heating and cooling system, increasing energy efficiency and savings while keeping you and your family comfortable all year long.

What is a Smart Thermostat?

A smart thermostat allows you to easily program the temperature settings in your home by the day of the week, the time of day and the time of year, in order to maximize energy efficiency. It also allows you to control those settings either remotely or from home through a smartphone, pc or tablet. Some models can learn your habits and communicate maintenance or other issues.

How Much Do They Cost?

Smart thermostats range in price from $100 to $250 depending on features and brand.

What is the Best Model to Choose?

The top models are Ecobee, Nest and Honeywell.

Ecobee includes an intuitive app and can control temperature on a room-by-room basis. It can sense when a room is occupied and works with Apple’s HomeKit and other smart home systems. It has Alexa built in, which allows you to access Amazon’s voice assistant without purchasing a separate unit for that purpose.

Honeywell is less expensive than Ecobee and not as fancy, but still works with many smart home systems and can be controlled with a smartphone. Alexa compatibility is available on some models.

Nest automatically learns your heating and cooling preferences and can be linked to other smart home devices, such as lights, through the app.

Can I Install it Myself?

Yes, if you are handy and understand the compatibility and wiring issues necessary to connect it to your HVAC system. It is recommended that a professional install your new smart thermostat to ensure that it is done correctly and will perform at its best from day one. HVAC professionals can also connect your home’s WiFi to the thermostat giving you access to the thermostat’s full potential.

What are the Potential Savings

Smart thermostats generate energy savings by more efficiently using your heating and cooling systems.  The programmable features allow you to effortlessly adjust the temperature in your home when you are away, so you don’t waste energy heating or cooling your home when you are at work or asleep. It can also save energy by not heating and cooling empty or rarely used rooms.

Contact ABE Heating and Cooling today for all your HVAC needs. We are located in Brighton, Colorado, and serve the entire Denver Metro Area.