According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), heating your Vacaville, CA home this fall could account for up to half of your monthly energy bill. Fortunately, you can cut this cost and still enjoy a consistently warm and cozy living space. At Greiner Heating, Air, and Electric, we offer an impressive range of smart and programmable thermostats. Read on to discover how these devices can optimize your home comfort and limit your energy use.
What Are Programmable Thermostats?
If you still have a standard thermostat in your Vacaville home, you have to perform every temperature adjustment manually. You must be physically present to move a lever, press a button, or turn a dial. Worse still, if someone changes your thermostat’s setting while you’re away, there’s absolutely nothing that you can do about it.
Programmable thermostats solve this problem by allowing you to store multiple preferred temperature settings that match your daily schedule. For instance, you can set your thermostat to raise or lower your indoor temperature when you leave for work and again just before you arrive home. This way, your heater isn’t using unnecessary energy while you’re away, and your home is still comfortable when you return. Programmable thermostats offer a set-it-and-forget-it solution to fall and wintertime temperature control while allowing for regular, energy-saving adjustments. If your schedule or temperature preferences change, you can always manually override your programmable thermostat’s settings or reprogram it.
What Are Smart Thermostats?
Smart thermostats take things a step further. Like programmable thermostats, these devices can store numerous preset temperature adjustments. However, they’re also Wi-Fi-enabled and remotely accessible. Smart thermostats come with branded mobile apps that homeowners can download to their smartphones, laptops, or tablets. Some of these devices are even compatible with various wearable technologies such as smartwatches.
Remote accessibility means that you can monitor and adjust a smart thermostat’s settings even when you’re at work, out of town, or out with friends. This is great news for homeowners with family members who often crank their thermostat settings way up or way down. If your kids or anyone else in your household makes a major setting change, you’ll know and have the means to resolve the issue.
Easy Daytime and Nighttime Temperature Adjustments
According to the DOE, homeowners can shave as much as 10% off their annual heating costs by slightly adjusting their thermostat settings before going to bed and before leaving for work. In fall and winter, lowering your thermostat setting by just 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit can help you experience these savings. There’s no need to keep an empty home ultra-warm when everyone is at work or school, and at night, residents won’t notice these minor temperature differences when they’re wrapped in comforters.
With standard thermostats, homeowners must remember to make these setting changes every night and again before stepping out for work. With programmable and smart thermostats, there’s no risk of human error or oversight erasing these potential savings. These devices will reliably make thermostat adjustments just as they’re programmed to do.
Not only do automatic temperature adjustments save consumers money, but they also ensure optimal conditions when coming home. When you walk in the door, your living space will already be at your preferred temperature.
Monitor HVAC Performance While You’re Away
Smart thermostats offer more than just temperature control—they also provide valuable information and monitoring features. Many smart thermostats offer:
- Energy consumption reports
- HVAC performance monitoring
- Filter change reminders
- General HVAC maintenance reminders
- Indoor air quality (IAQ) alerts
You can use your smart thermostat’s app to identify dramatic changes in air quality, airflow, and more while you’re away. If your heater starts short-cycling or shuts down while you’re at work, you’ll know. This makes it easier to schedule timely furnace or heat pump repairs and mitigate problems before they escalate.
Limit Your Risk of Experiencing Mid-Season Heating Emergencies
HVAC performance monitoring via smart thermostats also helps homeowners avoid dangerous, mid-season heating emergencies. Getting timely alerts about existing or developing problems allows for swift interventions so residents don’t have to suffer in the cold.
How Much Can You Save By Upgrading to a Smart Thermostat?
According to ENERGY STAR, you may be able to reduce your heating and cooling-related energy costs by as much as 8% with a smart thermostat. Homeowners can enjoy similar savings with programmable thermostats, but these devices lack many of the additional features and functions that contribute to smart thermostats’ impressive efficiency.
Which Option Is Right for You?
Smart technologies are becoming increasingly common in Vacaville, CA homes. If you choose a smart thermostat rather than a basic programmable model, you can integrate this device with your smart home control system for increased ease of use, monitoring, and convenience. Smart thermostats modernize homes and add to their appeal. Unlike programmable thermostats, they’re also learning devices. Although you can program scheduled temperature changes, over time, a smart thermostat grows increasingly adept at adjusting itself.
Many Smart Thermostats Offer Geo-Fencing
If you have a zoned central HVAC system with separate, independently controlled zones, choosing a smart thermostat with geo-fencing will give you the highest possible efficiency. Geo-fencing establishes virtual boundaries around your home and throughout its various HVAC service areas. This feature tracks the movements of residents through these spaces.
If you have smart thermostats with geo-fencing capabilities, these devices can lower your temperature when you leave the home unexpectedly. If you’re relaxing in your living room and decide to go to bed, a smart thermostat with geo-fencing can redirect conditioned air from your former location to your new one.
Individual Comfort Levels
Both smart thermostats and programmable thermostats can save Vacaville homeowners money and optimize their fall comfort. Both device types are efficient upgrades from standard, manually adjusted thermostats. However, programmable thermostats have lower upfront costs and a smaller learning curve. With fewer features and capabilities, they’re easier to use. Additionally, some consumers still aren’t entirely comfortable with having smart devices in their homes.
If you’re willing to pay more and want features like geo-fencing, energy consumption tracking, and HVAC performance alerts, smart technology is the way to go. While neither smart nor programmable thermostats will help you qualify for a federal tax credit under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, they may qualify you for impressive state, local, or utility service provider (USP) rebates. This allows you to stay cozy, cut costs, and potentially get some money back as well.
Shop a Fantastic Selection of Smart and Programmable Thermostats in Vacaville
When you shop for your next thermostat with us, you can choose from an affordable range of cutting-edge programmable and smart thermostat designs. Our technicians can help you choose the perfect device for your autumn and winter heating needs, your budget, and your home. We can also get your maintenance service scheduled for the fall!
We proudly serve Vacaville, CA, and the surrounding cities. We offer expert heating, cooling, and electrical services. We also service water heaters and provide solar panel, EV charger, and home generator installations. If you’re interested in installing a smart thermostat in your home, get in touch with Greiner Heating, Air, and Electric today!
