Can Smart Thermostats Help Lower My Energy Costs?
Until the advent of programmable thermostats in the late 1980s, the only way you could control your home’s heating was with a manual thermostat.
Those programmable thermostats were welcomed because manual thermostats had several distinct disadvantages. You would come home to an uncomfortably hot or cool home, or you would be forced to heat or cool your home while you’re gone and send your energy costs skyrocketing.
Nowadays, there’s something even better on the market. Smart Thermostats!
The advantages you get with today’s smart thermostats are plentiful. They’re reasonably priced and readily available at your local home improvement store or online. You can program them directly through your smartphone to check and change the temperature on them from anywhere you have reception. Some smart thermostats are also able to monitor your home’s HVAC system, alerting you when it needs service, which can help to lower, or better control, potential repair costs.
We’ve put together four key reasons a smart thermostat is a great investment in your home—and your comfort—this season.
Save Energy Around the Clock
The best approach to keep your heating expenses low is to use less propane. You can more easily and efficiently regulate your heating with a smart thermostat, which will help you save money. The savings that come from switching to a smart thermostat will quickly pay for your initial investment. According to the United States Department of Energy, a well-managed smart thermostat can help you save up to 10% on your heating expenses! Here’s what they suggest for maximum energy efficiency in home heating:
- When you’re at home and awake, set the thermostat for 68°
- Lower temperatures by 10° for the hours you’re asleep or away from home
Get Precise Temperature Control
With a traditional manual thermostat, there may be a five-degree discrepancy between the temperature you set on your thermostat and the actual temperature in your home. Because each degree fluctuation can result in 2% more heating or cooling costs, it has a significant influence not just in terms of comfort, but also in terms of energy expenses.
A smart thermostat only has less than a half-degree variance. That means the temperature you set is the temperature you get.
Zone Your Home Heating with Ease
“Zoning” your home’s heating system divides your property into sections that require the same amount of heat. For example, you may zone the sleeping quarters and living areas separately. Program each zone’s thermostat to only heat the zone when you’re using it (living areas when you’re home and awake, bedrooms at night) and save money by not wasting energy where it’s not needed.)
If you have central air conditioning in your home, this applies to home cooling as well, so you’ll enjoy year-round energy savings!
Protect Your Heating System
When you frequently adjust the thermostat settings on your furnace or boiler, or manually set your thermostat to a large temperature difference—as might occur when you come home on a bitterly cold day—you put a strain on your heating system to compensate for those changes. This, over time, can reduce the life of this equipment over time and force you to repair or replace your heating system sooner than you should. Using your smart thermostat can help you extend the life of your heating system by stopping excessive wear and tear on it.
With reliable propane delivery from Blue Flame, your New Jersey or Pennsylvania home always have propane for energy-efficient, comfortable home heating. Become a customer today—and don’t forget to ask about our wireless propane tank monitoring service, too!