9 Smart Thermostat Benefits

Most people recognize that any appliance with the word "smart" in it is designed to make their lives easier, with features that can not only provide convenience but can also be downright fun when compared to a traditional model. So when people talk about the benefits of the functionality and design of smart home devices like thermostats, what exactly are they referring to, and what does a smart thermostat do?

Technically, a smart thermostat is a wi-fi-enabled piece of equipment that can automatically adjust the temperature settings in your home. Still, the benefits of a smart thermostat go beyond that. Some deluxe models have settings and features that can make the average analog thermostat seem like a thing of the past. Here's a list that covers some of the top advantages of smart thermostats.

1. Energy Efficiency

Among the most significant improvements of smart thermostats over digital and analog models is that they typically feature more advanced automation and learning features. Setting your heating or cooling preferences to certain temperatures with a standard thermostat can cause your HVAC system to turn on and off while you're not at home. One of the biggest benefits of a smart thermostat is that, with room sensors placed throughout your home, the device can give you precise temperature readings on your phone and let you adjust settings to save energy. Most models can learn your family's preferences and habits to automatically adapt the temperature to your daily life; others can even sense people in the room.

2. Lower Costs

When you're saving energy, you're also saving on utility costs, and these thermostats are among the many smart devices that save money. Smart thermostats that have one-click energy efficiency settings will typically also lower your energy bill by using your HVAC system less often. If you have a model that lets you track your energy usage through an app, you'll be able to adjust the energy used by your heating and cooling system in real time. Another of the many Wi-Fi thermostat benefits is that some can be connected to applications provided by your utility company that allow them to adjust your settings in exchange for rebates or incentives to help them manage peak load demand.

3. Environmental Impact

With sensors that can pinpoint the temperature in any room and app features that help you track your energy usage down to the watt, you can reduce your environmental impact through smart energy conservation. Heating and cooling usage in homes typically spikes during winter and summer months, and producing enough energy from the HVAC systems of everyone in your area can take a big environmental toll. If you're passionate about doing your part to lessen your carbon footprint, one of the biggest benefits of smart thermostats is that you can be specific with the device settings to ensure that no heating or cooling is wasted and no unnecessary resources are used to power your HVAC when you don't need it. When shopping for a smart thermostat, you can search for models with ENERGY STAR settings to make this task easier.

4. Enhanced User Experience

Have you ever tried to adjust the settings on an older thermostat and found confusing controls or a long instructional guide in small print on the front cover? Not all smart thermostats have touch screens, but those that do typically have simpler, more intuitive controls that can make finding the ideal settings a breeze. Both touchscreens and apps allow you to access more precise settings and climate-control tracking features than could possibly fit on an analog or digital thermostat. The screens and displays of smart thermostats are also typically easier to read, and some models have enhanced accessibility features for people who have trouble seeing small readouts. Plus, some models have voice controls (or connect to voice assistants) or apps that integrate with accessibility settings on your phone, which can help improve usability for homeowners who are blind or those with vision impairment.

5. Simplified Maintenance

The same smart home thermostat benefits that allow people to save energy can also reduce the wear and tear on their HVAC systems. The less frequently any system or appliance is used, the longer life it will have, and the fewer maintenance, repairs, and replacements that will need to be performed. Plus, some smart thermostats allow homeowners to set reminders for maintenance that will appear on the device and phone app so they won't forget to have the air filter changed or an HVAC tune-up performed. In addition to reminders, deluxe models can sometimes notify people if a leak is detected in the unit to help avoid more costly repairs or replacements.

6. Connectivity

As previously mentioned, one of the benefits of smart thermostats is that you can connect gadgets like thermometers, motion sensors, humidity gauges, and other devices for more precise and customized home climate control. However, the electronic devices that can connect to these thermostats don't just include things that control the climate. Smart thermostats can be connected to smart TVs, plugs, light bulbs, audio speakers, and more to create routines that can make a house feel like a smart home. Try setting a routine in winter months that adjusts the lights in the living room, turns on the TV, heats the room, and schedules it for after work. Or, if you love to cook and bake, you can place a motion sensor in the kitchen that turns on the lights, activates the air purifier, and turns off the heater when someone enters the kitchen to cook a meal. Smart thermostats can be considered another layer of a smarter home that's intuitive to the needs of its residents.

7. Increase Your Home's Value

If this list of smart thermostat features already has you interested in getting one for your home, you can bet that many home buyers will be equally enticed by a smart climate-control system when you sell your house. More and more people become aware of smart thermostat benefits each year, and buying a home with one already installed can be more attractive than having to do it yourself. Even though it can take some work, many homeowners who have these systems installed often find that smart home thermostat benefits can allow them to increase the selling price of their homes.

8. Track Heating & Cooling Usage

Part of maintaining a strict utility budget is ensuring that family members don't excessively use the heater or air conditioning to the point that gas and/or electric bills become unmanageable. Instead of placing reminders on the thermostat, giving lectures about limiting use, or watching the thermostat like a hawk, install a thermostat that tracks an entire family's HVAC use. One of the advantages of smart thermostats is that they can learn heating and cooling habits. Tracking how often a family uses the climate-control system can help to teach the thermostat to fit a variety of lifestyles and budgets.

9. More Comfort, Less Effort

Last, and certainly not least, one of the main benefits of a smart thermostat is that it can help keep home environments more comfortable with less work. No more trekking back and forth to the thermostat and making slight adjustments until a comfortable temperature is reached. Adjustments can be made via phone app until the thermostat learns and can predict temperature preferences. Smart thermostats can be integrated into nearly any other home feature to save time managing multiple appliances at once that are spread out over a home. Accurate reports on usage and monitoring take the guesswork out of tracking energy consumption, which also allows you to protect your budget from unexpected costs. When you wonder, "Why get a smart thermostat?", the many reasons essentially boil down to less work, more savings, and the time to enjoy the aspects of home life that truly matter.

The contents of this article are provided for general guidance only. First American Home Warranty does not assume any responsibility for losses or damages as a result of using this information.

Please be aware that if you disassemble a covered system or item, it can invalidate your home warranty or manufacturer's warranty.