Gas prices are rising, and grocery bills are through the roof. In the sweltering summer sun, the last thing you want to find when you receive your energy bill is an extra zero thanks to inefficient use of your AC system.
When energy efficiency is a priority, cooling an empty house can seem like a waste, but the thought of coming home to a hot residence, especially in the dead of summer, can seem like a nightmare. However, with modern smart thermostats, a solution has arrived — or has it?
Peach State Air Conditioning & Refrigeration has been in the AC business for more than 30 years. We’ve been tracking the changes and innovations in HVAC technology so we can ensure our customers have the best cooling systems to keep their homes comfortable. If you’ve been thinking about switching to a smart thermostat, here’s what you need to know.
What is a smart thermostat?
A smart thermostat is a high-tech thermostat that uses technology to allow you to monitor, track and regulate the temperature of your home. While features can vary between models, most will have such options as:
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- An accompanying app that acts as a remote control over temperature and humidity levels
- Ability to sense temperature changes and automatically adjust throughout the day
- Notifications if a problem with your HVAC is detected
- Programmable schedule that adapts to you
- Integration with smart home devices
- Usage history tracking
Compared to traditional thermostats, these systems are designed with ease of comfort in mind.
Benefits of smart thermostats
· Energy efficiency — Energy efficiency in your home has become a more pressing issue over the years, especially as summers become more intense and energy bills skyrocket. While there are a number of “energy-saving” suggestions out there, none can compare to the energy efficiency of a smart thermostat.
With smart thermostats, you have much more precise control over your system and the ability to schedule specific temperature settings throughout the day. This means when you’re away at work, you can ensure energy isn’t wasted trying to cool an empty building.
· Cost savings — While installing a smart thermostat might be costly at first, studies have shown that users see an average of 8 percent savings on their utility bills each year. This is achieved by having an energy-saving mode that the smart thermostat switches to during times when your house is unoccupied. Furthermore, the ability to monitor what’s going on with your system allows you to detect a sudden spike in energy usage, which can point to issues that need servicing before they become bigger problems.
· Convenience and comfort — If you’ve dealt with the annoyance of constantly having to go back and forth from the couch to the thermostat to fiddle with the temperature setting, the idea of being able to control things from your phone sounds like a dream. With the help of geofencing and adaptive scheduling, home temperature automation ensures your house is comfortable before you even walk through the door.
Making the switch
If you’re sold on switching to a new smart thermostat, the pros at Peach State Air Conditioning & Refrigeration can help. While you might be able to find a setup guide online, there’s no guarantee that the thermostat you choose is even compatible with your HVAC system. Don’t let your enthusiasm lead you down the path to a DIY thermostat wiring disaster!
Once you’ve got your house nice and cool, we’ll gladly help maintain your system with routine maintenance checks to nip any problems in the bud.
Established in 2016, Peach State AC specializes in both residential and light commercial heating and air conditioning services including installation, maintenance and repair. Certified technicians are on call around the clock and typically respond within an hour — not hours or even days later — with fully stocked service vehicles carrying 90% of the parts most often needed for repairs.
Contact Peach State AC, located at 1500 Red Fern Lane in Statesboro, by calling (912) 489-1585, emailing peachstateac@gmail.com, or visiting peachstateac.com.
