An ordinary thermostat provides a central unit for manual temperature adjustment. Older models use switches and scales to increase or decrease the temperature, while modern ones come with touch screens and dial controls. Those with touch screen input typically offer programmability, which allows you to set temperatures based on the time of day or week.
Programmability falls under the scope of a regular thermostat. Only once the unit allows remote connectivity does it become smart because wireless connectivity enables you to download data about your home’s energy consumption.
Smart Tracking and Reporting
All smart thermostats track energy consumption in some form. Cheaper models simply report energy habits, such as average temperatures and energy costs, and deliver this data to your mobile device over Wi-fi. Via an app, you can track, analyze and respond to trends remotely. Likewise, you can control your thermostat from the app, providing greater control flexibility.
High-end units take reporting a step further and automate temperature control to save more energy and keep your home at a consistent, comfortable temperature.
Learning about Your Energy Habits
Smart thermostats can learn your temperature behaviours over time, eliminating the need to program or adjust them. Those that best perform this function use sensors throughout the home to measure multiple locations and identify hot and cold spots. Even without sensors, though, your thermostat can learn about your home’s energy habits and efficiently automate your heating and cooling systems.
