The adoption rate for smart thermostats has never been higher, as over 40% of American households now have one. The HVAC industry anticipates that number to continue rising over the next decade. Despite that, the majority of homeowners with these devices don’t maximize their savings, especially in winter. Consumer research reveals that many people never set up their smart thermostats to be anything more than basic thermostats. Even among those who do, only a small percentage update their settings over time. Let’s explore the changes you can make to maximize your savings during the winter ahead.
When to Consider a Smart Thermostat Upgrade
The Department of Energy (DOE) recommends advanced thermostat control for all U.S. households. If you’re still using a basic digital thermostat or even an old-fashioned analog model, it’s time to upgrade. If you have a programmable thermostat, consider upgrading for remote access and other energy-saving features. For those with smart thermostats, a consideration is that these technologies have evolved greatly in recent years. It may be time to upgrade if your model lacks some notable features that can help you save money.
Energy Monitoring and Reporting
Spikes in energy use are often the first sign of a heating problem. Energy monitoring smart thermostats can track your usage day to day, month to month, and year to year. That allows them to notify you when high usage occurs so that you can schedule diagnostics. Many thermostats with this feature can also provide energy usage reports. You can use that information to determine how to better reduce energy bills during winter.
Weather Integration
Big temperature swings lead to the highest energy usage in heating systems. In areas prone to cold fronts, weather integration can help avoid those big temperature adjustments. These internet-enabled devices can use real-time data to adjust gradually in advance.
Rate Awareness and Demand Response Compatibility
Many utilities in the U.S. now offer demand response programs. In order to participate, you must have a compatible smart thermostat. Even if your utility doesn’t offer the program, you can benefit from a smart thermostat with rate awareness. During peak rate periods, the thermostat can automatically adjust the temperature several degrees for big savings.
Upgrade Your Firmware and Software
Many thermostat manufacturers continue to support their products through software and firmware refinement. If your thermostat supports it, activate the automatic updating feature. The system will poll for updates and automatically install available patches.
If your thermostat doesn’t support automatic updating, you’ll need to do it manually. This often involves downloading the update from the internet to a memory card. Insert the card into the thermostat, and use its user interface to install. If you’re not comfortable doing this, you can schedule your local HVAC technician to do it for you.
Schedule Seasonal HVAC Maintenance
You should schedule an annual fall heating tune-up. During that appointment, an HVAC technician will perform a multipoint inspection and comprehensive cleaning. That will ensure that all your equipment, including your thermostat, functions optimally.
Test the Temperature and Calibrate If Needed
Note that thermostat testing and calibration are tasks your HVAC technician will complete during a fall heating tune-up. To do it yourself, use an accurate digital thermometer to test the temperature near your thermostat. Compare the readings. If there’s a small discrepancy, you can use the onboard controls to adjust the reading up and down. If there’s a large discrepancy, it likely indicates a bad thermistor and that it’s time for a replacement.
Determine Your Target Temperatures
You’re more likely to waste money if you adjust your thermostat on the fly. The better approach is to determine target temperatures ahead of time. You can then add and remove clothing and bedding as needed. You’ll need one target temperature for when you’re home and awake and another for when you’re away or sleeping. The DOE recommends a temperature between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature as low as 60 degrees is generally safe for healthy adults. A higher low may be necessary if you have children or seniors in the home.
Aim for Gradual Temperature Adjustments
Furnaces, boilers, and heat pumps all use more energy to achieve a temperature than to maintain it. This is why you want to avoid big temperature swings. Many HVAC experts agree that you should aim for a difference of about 4 degrees. In other words, if your awake temperature is 68 degrees, set your sleeping/away temperature to 64 degrees.
Update Your Schedules and Profiles
Automatic scheduling is where the biggest savings are with programmable and smart thermostats. An optimal schedule for your household can lower your annual heating costs by up to 8%. Aim for at least six hours of savings while you’re sleeping and six while you’re away at work. Profiles let you have different schedules for weekdays and weekends. They also allow for more complex programming people with flexible work schedules.
Activate Adaptive Capabilities If Applicable
If your thermostat has machine learning capabilities, enable them. Such thermostats can program themselves. They can also update your schedules automatically.
Geofencing and More Advanced Occupancy Sensing
Some systems allow for a more advanced alternative to scheduling. If you have these features, you should use them instead. Geofencing thermostats can monitor the household via smartphones. It can then adjust the system automatically based on whether you’re home or away. Thermostats with zone control can do this, but on a zone-by-zone basis. That lets you, for instance, keep the downstairs cooler overnight than the upstairs.
Take Advantage of Vacation Mode
When you’ll be away from home for 48 hours or more, a big temperature swing can be worthwhile. You can set the indoor temperature to as low as 55 degrees if no people or pets are home. Anything lower runs the risk of pipes freezing. To make this even easier, many smart thermostats have a vacation mode. You can even activate on the way to the airport and provide it with a return date. That will let it get the system ready for your return gradually.
Ensure Optimal Relative Humidity Throughout Winter
The air is naturally colder during the winter and can be very dry in a cold climate. The general recommendation is to maintain a relative humidity (RH) of at least 40%. That can be difficult to achieve in winter, especially if you heat your home with a fuel furnace. If RH is too low, you’ll need to maintain your home at a higher temperature to be comfortable. One option is to install a furnace humidifier that will offset the drying-out effect. Another option is to install a whole-house humidifier. It will allow for finer RH control throughout your home, and you’ll be able to control it directly through your thermostat.
Smart Thermostat Services in the Wasatch Front Region
Blue Best Plumbing, Heating, Air, & Generators has over 20 years of experience serving homeowners from our location in Bountiful, UT. Our team provides fall heating tune-ups and installs and services smart thermostats. To request more information or schedule an appointment, call today or contact us online. For routine service you can schedule in advance, check out our HVAC maintenance plan.
