When you live in a warm climate, such as Vero Beach, FL, it can be a challenge to stay comfortable without running your utility bill sky high. Smart thermostats can make it much easier to control your home’s temperatures and your utility costs, but you need to know how to use them properly. Let’s discuss some ways to get the most out of your home’s smart thermostat.
Take Advantage of Auto-Away
Auto-away is an amazingly easy-to-use feature that can have a dramatic effect on your utility bills. By linking your smart thermostat to your phone’s location and enabling the option, your air conditioning system will automatically turn off when it detects that you’ve left.
Schedule for Your Comfort
Scheduling allows you to build a schedule for your air conditioning system that works for your home and family. Keeping the home warmer while everyone is away and then cooling it down before you’re due back home often gives you the best balance of savings and comfort. Programmable thermostats can do this too, but because smart thermostats let you control them remotely, you can set and check your scheduled temperatures from anywhere.
Many smart thermostats allow you to program different schedules for specific days of the week, too. Instead of having your school and work schedule set all weekend, separate scheduling lets you allocate heating and cooling when it’s actually needed.
Utilize the Sunblock Feature
Thermostats aren’t always located in the smartest spot, which can make them heat or cool your home incorrectly. That’s why some smart thermostats have sunblock features, which help the device compensate for the increased temperatures that sunlight can cause. If your home’s thermostat is in an area that receives direct sunlight, particularly during the strong late afternoon and early evening, switch on the sunblock feature.
At Barker Air Conditioning and Heating, we offer a range of smart controls and thermostats, so call us today with any questions. We also offer a variety of services that allow you to keep your home comfortable year-round.
Image provided by iStock
