We’re now living in the age of the ‘smart home’ in which technology aims to automate and educate the many systems and appliances around your home. Central heating has also seen a smart revolution. So, do you need a smart thermostat in your home?
What is a smart thermostat?
A smart thermostat is essentially a device that monitors your heating usage and preferences and then applies this learning to running your central heating for you. The idea is that your home becomes more ‘green’, or energy efficient, saving you money on your energy bills.
The device notes the days and times at which you are most frequently using your central heating, for how long for and at what temperature. It learns these trends so that it can then automate this process for you in the most energy-efficient way. The end result should be a home heated to the optimum temperature as and when you need it to be.
Why should I get a smart thermostat?
Aside from the benefits of potentially saving money on your energy bills and always having a house heated to your preference without thinking about it, there are also some other advantages to using a smart thermostat in your home.
Many also have companion apps that run alongside it, allowing you to control the heating from your smartphone or other device. This is especially helpful if you’re heading home from work early one day during the winter and you want to arrive home to a nicely warmed house.
The technology in these thermostats also learns how long it takes to heat your house to the desired temperature too, meaning it can provide you with an accurate time for when the house will be up to your desired temperature and change schedules accordingly. This is in comparison to traditional thermostats that would require you to turn the heating on and wait for it to warm-up.
Theoretically, you can turn your central heating on from anywhere in the world, meaning that you can turn it on when you’re on your way home and know that you’ll be greeted with a toasty warm house upon your arrival.
These learning thermostats also allow you to view your energy usage for any day, and between specific time periods should you wish. It uses your home’s Wi-Fi network to make all this data available through the companion app on your smartphone or tablet device.
What options are there?
It won’t surprise you to hear that the market is ever-expanding when it comes to options for these smart thermostats. The two leading products are Nest and Hive. The company behind Nest was actually purchased by Google, which in itself is an indication not only of the technology behind the device, but also the long-term potential of the system.
Hive is a British Gas innovation, and equally as impressive. They both have similar price points and features and the installation method is largely the same.
Wirral Heating is able to supply and fit these smart thermostats, or just fit them if you have already got hold of a thermostat yourself.
