We are growing ‘smarter’ by the day, thanks to innovations and advancements in technology! We are inseparable from our ‘smart’ phone, our smart’ watch. Another ‘smart’ device that has been studying our schedule and creating heating and cooling schedules accordingly are smart home thermostats. Used with home automation, they are responsible for controlling a home’s heating and/or air conditioning and allow users to adjust heating settings from other internet-connected devices, such as a laptop or smartphones, remotely. Choosing a smart home thermostat for your home can be challenging given the umpteen options available in the market. Read on to get some help on what features to look for in your smart home thermostat!
Just like other smart home devices, prices of a smart home thermostat varies with the features and capabilities in it. Let us understand these in the context of a basic model versus an advanced one.
Basic Models
A basic smart home thermostat
- is designed to provide simple heating and cooling systems
- offers basic scheduling and programming options
- is equipped with Wi-Fi circuitry that allows you to connect the device to your home network and the internet.
- can be controlled from a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet using a free mobile app
- allows you to create a seven-day heating and cooling schedule
- override the schedule if you or a family member will be returning home early, and turn the system on and off
Some basic models also let you control things from a web browser.
Advanced, Expensive models
Advanced smart home thermostats:
- have a bright colorful touch display that makes it easy to configure and program the thermostat, giving it a touch of style
- have humidity sensors that will trigger an alert when it detects high or low humidity levels
- give local weather forecast
- have geofencing (that uses your phone’s location services to let the thermostat know when you have entered or exited a virtual perimeter around the house)
- can usually be read from across a room
- contain motion sensors that will light up the display when you enter the room
- have usage reporting that lets you see a historical view of how often your system is running and how long it takes to meet its target temperature.
We, at Tashman Home Center, your local hardware and home improvement store, have a wide range of high quality, name brand products including smart home thermostats. Our staff of knowledgeable employees are dedicated to providing you with the best possible service and professional installation. Call them at (323) 248-0186 to get a free quote!