All Canadian homeowners should consider upgrading their HVAC systems with a smart thermostat. National Resources Canada (NRCan) estimates that the average household can reduce annual heating and cooling costs by at least 8%. A more efficient system also means you will have less need for cooling and heating repairs, since your HVAC units won’t have to work as hard. Let’s explore how a smart thermostat can make such a dramatic difference in your household budget.
Automatic Temperature Control
Manual temperature adjustment in a home is inherently inefficient. You can easily cause your HVAC equipment to cycle more often and for longer periods than is optimal. Many people also spend unnecessarily heating and cooling their homes while they’re sleeping or away.
Scheduling
The NRCan’s estimate of 8% savings is rather conservative. To achieve it, you need to lower or raise your temperature setting by only 3 degrees Celsius for at least eight hours a day. Many homeowners can change their setting by as many as 6 degrees. In addition, many households can enjoy those energy savings for 12 or more hours a day. This is possible through scheduling, a standard feature with all programmable thermostats. Set a comfortable temperature for when you’re home and awake. Then, choose an energy-saving temperature for all other periods.
Profiles
Profiles make scheduling even more powerful. Your household may not have the same schedule every day. You can, for instance, program one schedule for weekdays and another for weekends. Profiles also let you adapt your schedules for seasons and special occasions.
Modes
Smart thermostats often support different modes that shape their behaviors. Even basic programmable thermostats have heat and cool modes plus On, Auto, and Off modes for the blower. Hold mode lets you override the current profile and schedule. Vacation mode simplifies activating aggressive energy-saving settings when you’ll be away for extended periods.
Occupancy Sensing
Scheduling isn’t ideal for all households. Consider a large family that comes and goes at different hours of the day and night. One solution to this problem is geofencing. This gives the thermostat a virtual boundary around the home. It tracks household members through a technology like GPS or RFID. This way, the thermostat can maintain a comfortable temperature when at least one person is home and an economy setting when no one is.
Remote Access and Control
Smart thermostats have Wi-Fi capabilities. It’s a defining feature that distinguishes a smart thermostat from a basic programmable thermostat. Wi-Fi allows for remote access and control. It can lower your bill because you can adjust your system wherever you are. Did you realize you forget to enable vacation mode when you’re already traveling? It’s not a problem because you can simply turn it on from your phone.
Machine Learning and Cloud Computing
Machine learning is a feature set through which a smart thermostat can track data, analyze it, and learn from it. Learning has become even more sophisticated with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Many smart thermostats support cloud computing as well. This means that onboard processing power and storage capabilities don’t limit the thermostat. It can upload the data to the cloud and let a more powerful computer crunch the numbers.
Self-Programming
Consumer research indicates that more than half of homeowners never program their smart thermostats. They simply use them for basic thermostat control. Many modern smart thermostats overcome this issue by programming themselves. A newly installed smart thermostat can activate your initial money-saving schedule as soon as you enter and enable it.
Automatic Schedule Refinement
Even among users who set an initial schedule, many never update it. Your scheduling needs will likely change over time. Thermostats with machine learning can track household behaviors. They can then continue to refine your schedules as those habits change.
Smart Setback
It costs more energy to achieve a new temperature setting than to maintain the current setting. While automatic temperature adjustment saves money overall, the transitional periods are inefficient. Smart setback is a feature that limits that inefficiency. It does this by monitoring transitional performance and adjusting it to minimize energy use.
Predictive Maintenance
Some thermostats can track HVAC performance at all times. This allows them to identify when the system is running outside its normal parameters. When it does, it can alert you to schedule a diagnostic visit and get a heating or cooling tune-up from an expert technician. Catching HVAC problems early can help you avoid spikes in energy consumption as well as big repair bills.
Energy Tracking and Reporting
A prevalent smart thermostat feature is the ability to track your electricity and fuel consumption. Spikes in energy use are often one of the first signs of an HVAC problem. Tracking your usage also reveals a pattern of behavior. You’ll know how much energy you use in a given month and year to year. Many models can even provide cloud-computer-powered reports that indicate when you’re being efficient or inefficient. They can also recommend ways to reduce your usage even more.
Time-of-Use Savings
In Canada, electricity and fuel rates often vary based on the time of day, day of the week, and even the season. Smart thermostats can help you achieve time-of-use savings.
Rate Awareness
It’s common to pay peak and off-peak rates for electricity, for instance. If a thermostat has rate awareness, it can set a more modest temperature during the peak periods. Even a couple of degrees can make a big difference in your bill. Most modern smart thermostats can even pull this data from the internet automatically. That means you don’t have to program your rate schedule.
Demand Response Programs
Many utilities in Canada have demand response programs to help curb consumption during peak periods. To participate, you must opt in and have a supported smart thermostat. If you do, your provider can automatically adjust your thermostat by up to several degrees. In return, you can earn perks such as energy credits.
Energy Incentives
There are energy incentives through which consumers can offset some or even all the costs of a smart thermostat. You may be eligible for a grant of up to $50 through the government. There may also be rebates available through manufacturers and other groups. You can search for rebates and other offers available in your area through the NRCan website.
Remote Sensors
Traditional thermostats have an integrated temperature sensor. This is why it’s important to locate a thermostat centrally and avoid direct sunlight through windows. Many smart thermostats support remote sensors. Having multiple temperature sensors throughout a house provides you with more accurate readings. It eliminates the need for a central location, so you can place your thermostat wherever it’s most convenient. You can add motion sensors for more granular occupancy sensing. There are also sensors for relative humidity, smoke, carbon monoxide, and more.
Smart Thermostat Installation in Nanaimo
Twin Peaks Plumbing, Heating & Gas is an HVAC company serving Nanaimo, BC and the surrounding areas. We offer many smart thermostat brands and models and install, program, calibrate, and repair them. Our technicians install, maintain, and repair all manner of heating and cooling technologies. Those include gas and electric furnaces, gas and electric boilers, radiant heating, heat pumps, air conditioners, and ductless mini-splits. We install, repair, clean, and seal ductwork. Our team installs and services air purifiers and germicidal lamps. We have plumbers who perform camera inspections, drain cleaning, leak detection, and water and gas repiping. Count on us for kitchen and bathroom fixtures, tank and tankless water heaters, sump pumps, and backflow prevention. Our plumbers and technicians are also available 24/7 for emergencies.
Call Twin Peaks Plumbing, Heating & Gas today, or contact us online to schedule an appointment!
