The ‘Internet of things’ is sweeping just about every industry and sector, whether that is your sound system, lighting, home security, or now, your thermostat. Smart thermostats are incredibly useful additions to help you improve your energy efficiency and save you money. Not to be confused with smart meters, which are connected to your gas/electricity, smart thermostats connect your heating system to the internet for added functionality and wireless control.
Here at Mirage Heating & Plumbing, we are experts in smart thermostats, so we use our experience to guide you through what they’re all about in our latest blog below.
Features
While the features of a smart thermostat differ with each brand, the higher-end models usually have a wide range of integrated technology to help you take control of your heating and save money in the long run. These features might include:
Remote controls to be able to turn your heating on or off, or the temperature up and down, whether you are out and about or just don’t feel like getting up. This is standard for most smart thermostats.
Multi-room controls might also be available, if your existing heating system allows this. It means you can heat up the rooms that need it and cool down the rooms that don’t, saving you money.
Hot water controls mean you can turn on the hot water exactly when you need it. This way, it’s ready for you when you get home from the gym but doesn’t heat up when you won’t use it, for example.
Geofencing is a feature that can track when you leave/come home, learning your habits to help make smarter decisions about when to use your energy. It’s a feature reserved for the high-end models, though.
Holiday mode will help you protect your pipes when they’re not in use and you’re on holiday, saving you money and a nasty surprise when you get back.
Heating pattern feedback will help you learn more about your patterns, therefore leading to smarter decisions about heating and ways for you to save money and be energy efficient.
Many smart thermostats also work seamlessly with Amazon Echo and Google Home for even easier usability. Some, but not as many, also work with Apple HomeKit and Microsoft Cortana.
They Save You Money
As we’re sure you can tell by now, the main goal of smart thermostats – as with a lot of connected devices – is to make your life easier and, hopefully, save you some money in the process. By learning about your energy patterns and offering more control over your heating, smart thermostats increase the heating efficiency of your property. This is not only good for your wallet, but also for the environment.
Nest
The Google-owned Nest is one of the largest brands of smart thermostats on the market, arguably trail-blazing the technology. They have different options available but the top range model covers almost all of the features we have spoken about.
Nest also boasts some USPs such as frost detection, which is an extension of ‘holiday mode’ features and warns you when your pipes are about to freeze. There is also ‘Nest Leaf’, which is a feature that helps you know you’re at an energy-saving temperature to ensure your efficiency is always as high as possible.
Contact Mirage Heating & Plumbing
If you would like to enquire about Nest smart thermostats, contact Mirage Heating & Plumbing today. We supply and install this technology to help you save money on your heating by improving efficiency, while making your life a bit easier.
To contact us you can call on 0208 947 6105 or fill out our simple contact form.
