We are inseparable from our smartphones and watches. And thanks to technological advancements, we grow smarter by the day! Another smart device that has been studying our schedule and creating heating and cooling schedules accordingly is the smart home thermostat. Used with home automation, they control a home’s heating and/or air conditioning and allow users to remotely adjust heating settings from other internet-connected devices, such as a laptop or smartphone. Choosing a smart home thermostat for your home can be challenging, given the numerous options available. Read on to learn what features to look for in your smart home thermostat!
Choosing a Smart Home Thermostat
Just like other smart home devices, the prices of a smart home thermostat vary depending on its features and capabilities. 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.
- allows you to 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 Models
Advanced smart home thermostats:
- have a bright and 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 they detect high or low humidity levels.
- give local weather forecasts.
- 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 runs and how long it takes to meet its target temperature.
