The cooler weather is well on its way to northeast Ohio, and this means people all across the region will find themselves cranking up the heat in their homes sooner rather than later. As you know, the more your furnace needs to run to get rid of that chill in the air, the higher your monthly energy bills get. However, what if there was something you could do to ensure your furnace is running as efficiently as possible?

Lowering Your Energy Bills with a Smart Thermostat

Most homes these days already utilize a programmable thermostat, which allows you to set specific times throughout the day for your furnace to run. If no one is home between eight in the morning and five in the evening, it doesn’t make sense for your system to kick on and heat up an empty home. Programmable thermostats ensure the heat turns on at the most important times of the day, such as in the morning before your shower and in the evening when you get home from work.

However, smart thermostats actually take things a step further. A smart thermostat is basically a digital thermostat that learns your daily routines using analytics. They can also be accessed remotely via a smartphone, tablet or computer. For instance, if you’re always adjusting the thermostat before you go to bed at night, the smart thermostat learns this behavior. Or, if you get stuck in traffic after work one day, you can use your smartphone to remotely access the thermostat so the furnace doesn’t go on unnecessarily.

Here are a few specific ways smart thermostats can help improve the energy efficiency of your home:

1. Monitoring your energy use preferences. Smart thermostats learn how often you’re turning the heat up and down in your home, and are able to fine-tune the settings for optimal energy efficiency. In other words, even if you think you’ve discovered the perfect temperature, the smart thermostat can make small adjustments to ensure the most efficient setting possible.
2. Showing your energy usage in real time. By using the smart thermostat app on your smartphone, you’ll be able to take note of peak energy use times. This allows you to understand how much your HVAC system costs you on a daily basis and take note of what changes are needed that could reduce your energy consumption a bit.
3. Allowing trouble-free programming. Even those who are technologically-challenged find programming a smart thermostat is a piece of cake. They usually feature easy-to-see and easy-to-read touchscreen interfaces, making programming them correctly a breeze. Some may even include tutorials, teaching you how to determine what temperatures are optimal for energy efficiency in your home.
4. Ability to access your system from anywhere, anytime. Because you can access your thermostat through your smartphone, you can check in on your system any time you like. For instance, if your teen is home alone for the day and cranked the heat way up, you’re able to adjust it remotely, no matter how far away you may be.

Do you have questions about installing a smart thermostat in your home to save on your monthly energy bills? The team at Efficient Heating and Cooling is ready to help! If you’re in the greater Cleveland area, contact our team today! Or, give us a call at 216-663-6462.