Do Smart Thermostats Save You Money?

HVAC REPAIR, AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR, AC REPAIR, AIR CONDITIONER REPAIR NEAR ME, FURNACE REPAIR NEAR ME, HVAC COMPANIES NEAR ME, HVAC REPAIR NEAR ME, AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR SERVICE, HEATING REPAIR, HVAC COMPANIES, AIR CONDITIONING COMPANIES, HVAC CONTRACTORS NEAR ME, AC COMPANIES NEAR ME, HEATING REPAIR NEAR ME, AIR CONDITIONING CONTRACTOR, HEATING AND COOLING REPAIR, HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR, HOME AC REPAIR NEAR ME, AIR CONDITIONING COMPANIES NEAR ME, HEATING AND AIR REPAIR, AC REPAIR SERVICES, AC INSTALLATION NEAR ME, CENTRAL AIR REPAIR, 24 HOUR AC REPAIR, HOME AC REPAIR, EMERGENCY AC REPAIR, AC UNIT REPAIR, HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING REPAIR NEAR ME, 24 HOUR AIR CONDITIONER REPAIR, HEATING AND AIR REPAIR NEAR MEHomeowners in the Houston area are always looking to save money on their heating and cooling bills. Lately, smart thermostats have become very popular because they promise savings by automating home temperature settings. They are available from local companies that perform A/C repair in Sugar Land and throughout the metro area. Professionals can help you select the right smart thermostat for your home and lifestyle.

Naturally, every company that manufactures smart thermostats claims that their product will save you money, but are the savings worth the investment? Several companies have conducted studies on just how much smart thermostats can affect your monthly budget for heating and air conditioning. Nest Labs claims that their research proves that you can save as much as 12 percent, which equals about $145 per year. That would make it easy to recoup the initial expense of hiring a Sugar Land air conditioning repair specialist to install the unit. In most cases, the thermostat would pay for itself in about two years.

However, it is possible that your savings could be significantly more or less than 12 percent because these studies are based on data from surveys. Here are some factors that will determine how much you could save.

  • – The cost of utilities in your area is important. In most cases, the rates increase every year.
  • – Your rate of energy consumption will affect savings. If you adjust your thermostat manually when you go to work or at nighttime, your savings will not be as high as if you leave the thermostat setting constant.
  • – Fluctuations in the severity of the weather from one year to the next can make a big difference. If you have the hottest summer on record, your cooling costs will be higher than usual.
  • – People in more temperate climates will experience lower savings than those in regions with very hot summers and extremely cold winters.
  • – Your home also plays a role. If you have good insulation, change your filter regularly and keep your HVAC system in good running order, your savings will be lower. Almost every home could benefit from a regular tune up or A/C repair in Katy and the entire Houston area. Larger homes cost more to heat or cool than smaller ones. That makes the potential for savings proportionately higher.

 

Most people set their thermostats once in the fall and spring and never change them. Other folks use daily “setbacks.” Smart thermostats make those changes for you. Some smart systems actually monitor motion within a room and turn the heat or air conditioning on only when there is someone in the area. When your system is not running, it is not costing you money. The rule of thumb is that setbacks, whether automated or not, will save you money on your HVAC bills. In some areas, the local utility company will contribute to an upgrade to your thermostat.

Is a smart thermostat really worth the cost? As you can see, there are so many variables that it is hard to make a definitive statement one way or the other. Some homeowners may recoup their expenses in a single year. Other people may not see that return for more than two years.

Savings are not the only consideration. Smart thermostats are very convenient. They never forget to adjust the temperature when you go to work. They are easy to set up and provide extra features, such as alerts and outdoor temperature readings.

It seems obvious that smart thermostats are worth the investment. This is especially true if you remain in your home for many years. Another nice thing is that you can have them uninstalled from your current home and reinstalled in a new home if you decide to relocate. You can take the savings with you.