A Guide to Choosing the Right Smart Thermostat for Your Home

Smart Thermostat: 

What makes a thermostat smart? In our connected world, a smart thermostat is one that grants access to itself  via the internet. Whether that access is a website or an app, if you can control it’s basic function remotely, it’s a smart thermostat. All of the thermostats in this catagory have the ability to set a program, usually 4 defined time periods with separate temperature setpoints. (WAKE, DAY, HOME, SLEEP).  the WAKE and HOME are typically 1 to 2 hour transition periods to get the indoor temperature moving in the desired direction for the long periods in the next cycle. It is important to know your comfort level and get these settings tweaked for your home.

Predictive, Adaptive, Learning Technology:

This function takes control of the WAKE and HOME periods mentioned earlier. In the northern winter you can set your thermostat to 60 during the day and want it 70 when you get home. A learning stat can, depending on outdoor temp, turn your heat on 15 minutes or 2 hours early to make the temp you set by 5PM when you get home. But what about in the Clearwater, Florida area? If you set your thermostat to 85 during the day and want 75 when you get home in the summer, it will take several hours to fall those 10 degrees, and your home will be filled with humidity. The savings are minimal over using targeted WAKE and HOME settings, and the possible discomfort is horrible.