Energy-efficient technologies continue to develop and improve – including smart thermostats! In this Ty Talks episode, Jackson EMC spokesperson and home energy expert Ty Pennington explains his take on home thermostats and how they are getting smarter.
When it comes to becoming more energy efficient at home, it is most important to assess all aspects of the heating and air system because according to the Department of Energy, heating and cooling are the home’s biggest energy costs accounting for half of all energy expenses!
Having the most energy efficient system possible would certainly lead to tremendous savings on the overall energy bill. According to Ty, one area that is commonly overlooked in this assessment is the thermostat.
Many homes now use a programmable thermostat, which serves as a step in the direction of energy-efficient living, but because daily schedules change so much throughout the year, it is not enough. Smart thermostats have the intelligence to make certain decisions and are designed to conserve energy.
For example, many smart thermostats use motion sensors to detect and then react when the house is occupied outside the normal schedule. It then constantly assesses daily patterns and habits, looking at things such as daily schedules, weather patterns and forecasts and the preferred temperature comfort zone.
“It learns how you want to use your heating and cooling system,” explains Ty. “Then it does the work for you to ensure that it’s done as efficiently as possible.”
Smart thermostats can even be manually controlled by a smartphone. According to Ty, the ultimate goal is to be able to stop touching the thermostat entirely. Eventually, it will raise the temperature when the house is up for the day, lower it when it is time for bed, automatically adjust for the seasons and more.
Watch the above video to learn more from Ty, or visit www.JacksonEMC.com to view the entire Ty Talks series. To set up a Home Energy Evaluation with a Right Choice-certified tech, contact Jackson EMC at 770-822-321.