Winter is just around the corner, and with winter there usually comes a big increase in your utility bills. One of the easiest ways to take control of your heating and lower your bills is to install a smart thermostat. They control your heat and give you access to your thermostat right on your phone or tablet. Choosing the smart thermostat that’s best for your home is easy. All you need to know is what type of heating your home uses and you can sort through the different types to find the best model for you.
Features found on smart thermostats
Smart thermostats are available for forced air (gas furnaces), heat pumps, HVAC, electric baseboard heat, mini splits, and radiant flooring. While they differ according to what type of heating you use and the brand you choose, most thermostats share a few common features.
- Connect your home’s heat or cooling system to your Wi-Fi network so you can control it from anywhere
- Let you control a single room, multiple rooms, or the whole home from one thermostat
- Have Geolocation and Geofencing options to turn your heat off or on when it senses you aren’t home or when you arrive home
- Offer voice control via Alexa or Google Assistant
- Quick installation
Smart thermostats for forced air systems, heat pumps and HVAC systems
Gas furnaces used to have a thermostat you would adjust by turning a dial. The problem with those older thermostats is that people would forget to turn them down before bed or before leaving for the day. If you did remember to turn it down, you’d have to get up in a chilly house and turn it up before your home begins warming. Not having easy control of the home’s heat leads to an increase in heat costs because you’re paying to heat your home when you’re sleeping or when it’s empty.
With a connected thermostat for forced air system, heat pumps, or HVAC, you don’t have to stress over whether you turned the temperature up or down. These thermostats are compatible with most forced air, heat pump, and HVAC systems. Once you have your smart thermostat installed you can control your heat via your phone or a wall-mounted device, set your heat or air conditioning on a schedule, and monitor your heat or cool air use over time.
Some types of thermostat are compatible with other smart home devices like cameras, video doorbells, and smart smoke detectors, so you can sync your entire system to work together. For example, if your smoke detector detects a fire, your thermostat will turn your furnace or heat pump off automatically.
Smart thermostats for electric baseboard heat
Electric baseboard heat is a popular choice for homeowners who want to heat a single room or who don’t want to install a gas furnace or heat pump. You can install a smart thermostat in place of a manual thermostat and control your electric heat from anywhere you are. These thermostats are very useful for electric heat because leaving the heater on can result in expensive electric bills.
With a smart thermostat for electric heat, you can control your heat, place it on a schedule so it always turns off or on when you want it to, and see a history of your usage over time. Some types of electric heat thermostats let you group several thermostats together so you can control all of the heat in your home at one time. There are also types of thermostats for electric heat that are compatible with certain window air conditioners and mini-split heat pumps. With a dual-purpose smart thermostat, you can control your heat and cold air in summer and winter.
Smart thermostats for radiant heating
Radiant flooring is a great way to keep your home (and your toes) toasty warm in the winter months. Smart thermostats for radiant flooring will let you adjust the temperature of the floor, show you what the current temperature is at a glance, and save you money by turning your floor off when you’re away at work or on vacation. Some thermostats for radiant flooring include their own sensors to put in the floor and let you control multiple zones in your home so you can turn one zone off or on instead of having all zones on at one time.
Smart thermostats on sale
If you’re looking for a smart thermostat in a certain price range, you’ll want to check out smart thermostats on sale. There are different smart thermostats listed every week and you’re sure to find a smart thermostat compatible with your home’s heat. You’ll also want to take a look at your province’s rebates for smart thermostats. You may find a rebate program that offers you cash back after purchasing your thermostat.
Which is the best smart thermostat for you?
There is a smart thermostat that’s perfect for every home and every homeowner. Set one up before it gets cold and you’ll enjoy a much easier way of controlling your home’s heat this winter.
