Smart thermostats are handy devices that, through our WiFi, allow us to control our heating using our phones, tablets, and other devices.
These innovative devices mean we can not only control our heating from our gadgets, but we can do it from wherever we are – at home, at work, on the go, you name it.
Smart thermostats are rapidly becoming a popular trend for those of us who like to keep our home up-to-date with the latest gadgets, but they can also be a nifty way to save yourself some cash on your heating bills. Indeed, devices such as the Neomitis Wireless Digital Room Thermostat could save you up to £120 on your heating bill each year! This swanky thermostat has an extra-large LCD and ambient temperature digits which allows you to read the screen from across the room, and the simple rotary dial makes it perfect for everyone who wants a digital thermostat that is easy to understand.
While they may cost you a little more in the short term, these costs are likely to be outweighed by what you’ll save over the year. Believe it or not, there’s actually more to smart thermostats than simply controlling your heating too. With technology constantly evolving, we’re taking a look at some of the features you can expect from modern smart thermostats and how they can save you money.
Remember, these features can vary across different smart thermostat models, so it’s worth doing your research first!
1. Multi-Room Controls
Let’s start with a simple one. Many smart thermostats will have the option for multi-room controls, allowing you to have more control over how you heat your home. This is particularly useful in the case of bigger homes, as many of us may be heating rooms that we aren’t using. By having multi-room controls, you can independently control the temperature of individual rooms, allowing you to use your heating more efficiently. You will, however, need to invest in additional thermostats, or what’s known as smart thermostatic radiator valves in order to kick things off, which can be costly, but remember, it’s an investment and could save you a few quid in the long run.
2. Hot water controls
If you have a separate hot water tank, you may be able to control your hot water via your smart thermostat too. Particularly useful if you’re away from home a lot, you can have the option to turn your hot water on ready for a nice hot bath or shower when you get home, all via an app on your phone or tablet. Let’s face it, we’ve all suffered a cold shower on return from a holiday because we forgot to turn the hot water back on! Of course, if you have a combination (combi) boiler, then this isn’t a feature you need to worry about, but it’s worth bearing in mind if you do have a separate hot water tank. You may, however, need some additional kit to get this moving though, so make sure you do your research first.
3. Geofencing
A common feature that many smart thermostats now adopt is geofencing. This is where technology is used to create a virtual boundary around a real-life area – in this case, your home. With a smart thermostat, this will detect when you enter or leave your ‘boundary’ and will either heat or cool your home accordingly. Devices such as the Google Nest have this feature, and this is ideal for people who don’t have a set schedule or who are in and out of the house all day, as it will ensure you’re not heating an empty home.
4. Draught detection
This is a pretty straightforward one! Many smart thermostats are able to detect draughts in your home to prevent you from wasting heat and, more importantly, money! In some cases, they can even send a notification to your smartphone or tablet to alert you.
5. Feedback on Your Habits
Many smart thermostat devices are also able to give you feedback on your heating habits, which is handy as it allows you to see where additional savings could be made. Depending on the device, this generally will be on a monthly basis and will tell you how many hours you’ve spent heating your home so you can compare any changes with previous months. In addition, some devices will also show you more energy-efficient settings too.
6. Safety & Holiday Modes
While this is actually a feature that many regular thermostats have as well as smart ones, it’s still a pretty important one. If you’re going away, this feature will ensure your heating switches on if the temperature drops below a safe level, most commonly during the winter months. This ensures your pipes don’t freeze and don’t cause you a whole lot of stress and hassle on your return.
7. Adapt to Your Preferences
Ideal for creatures of habit! Certain smart thermostats after a few days of use will pick up on how you use your heating and program itself to your preferences. A popular device that holds this feature is the Nest Learning Thermostat. Simply adjust your temperature as you would normally for the first couple of days, and the device will learn what your preferred temperatures are and program itself accordingly. Don’t worry though, there’s still the option to override it when you need to.
8. Compatible with Other Smart Home Devices
If you already have a smart home device in your home, you’ll usually be able to pair your smart thermostat too. Most of them are compatible with Amazon Echo and Google Home devices, allowing you to ask Alexa or Google to turn the heating up or down, or to set it to a certain temperature. While most will work with Amazon Echo and Google Home, a smaller number of smart thermostats will also be compatible with the likes of Apple HomeKit and Microsoft Cortana too, but it’s always a good idea to check the specifications first!
Smart thermostats can be an effective way to save a bit of cash on your heating bills, particularly for those who want to be more conscious of how they control their heating. Yes, there may be a few additional costs to start with, but as with many heating-related expenses, the long-term savings of smart thermostats definitely outweigh the short-term costs!
If your boiler is currently in need of an upgrade, remember that at WarmZilla, we give away a free smart thermostat with every installation. Head over to our find a boiler page and get your quote within a few minutes!
Written by Amy Jackson – Content Writer at Promo Codes For
