My family leads a very hectic lifestyle.
- Between work, school, sports and our various activities, we lead a busy schedule.
I am sometimes convinced we are away more than we are at home. The house is often left empty. I kept forgetting to adjust the thermostat before we left in the morning. I’d then pay to heat or cool an unoccupied house to the ideal temperature all day long. On those occasions when I actually remember to turn the temperature up or down to conserve energy, we’d return home to a super chilly or overheated house. I also struggled to keep up with the maintenance requirements of the furnace and air conditioner. I finally decided it was time to upgrade to a smart thermostat. When I started researching the different models available, I was shocked by the price as well as the features. Thermostats have come a long way since the plastic dial on the wall. Modern options offer all different shapes, touchscreen displays and cutting-edge technology. The thermostat I chose has a feature called geofencing. Through GPS, it tracks the locations of our smartphones. The thermostat knows when we’re at home, out of the house or even on our way home and adjusts the operation of the heating and cooling system accordingly. The thermostat tracks energy usage and offers tips for improvement. It sends me a text message when it’s time to schedule annual upkeep for the system. Because of the smart thermostat, I take much better care of the furnace and air conditioner. I pay a lot less every month in energy bills and yet the house is far more comfortable. Upgrading to a smart thermostat was one of the most worthwhile home improvements I’ve made.