Smart Heating and Cooling
Newer generations of smart sensors and controls make heating your home more efficient, without sacrificing comfort.
In cold climates like Vermont, energy costs can skyrocket over the winter months. Smart thermostats, vents, and window shades are relatively cost-effective ways to improve occupant comfort, while saving on energy use. By using your phone or room sensors to detect when you’re home—and in some cases, which room you’re in—these devices and others can make smart choices for your household in every season.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats hold a special spot in the smart home family. They are by far the most popular smart energy device, projected to be in over 43 million homes by 2021. Numerous studies have confirmed that users can expect to save 8% or more on heating costs—and up to 15% in very cold climates like Vermont. Smart thermostats self-program over time, learning from your usage, noting adjustments you make, and even sensing if your space is occupied. The newest models boast robust programming and sensing capabilities, allowing temperatures to “drift” for longer periods of time, without sacrificing occupant comfort. It’s best to have an installer set up a smart thermostat system. Learn more about Nest rebates and other smart thermostats.
- Fully compatible with most central heating systems
- Look for ENERGY STAR® models to save between 8-15% on heating costs
- Increase savings by using away and sleep modes, and integrating with room sensor
Room Sensors
Thermostats measure the temperature in their immediate vicinity to determine when to heat and cool your home. In many houses, this can leave some rooms too hot and others too cold. Room sensors work with smart thermostats or newer heating systems to even out indoor temperatures. The more sensors you install, the better the average temperature—and the more comfortable you’ll be. Some room sensors also use motion detection to “follow” you around your home, adjusting temperature to ensure optimum comfort in the room you’re in.
- Detect temperature differences of specific rooms in your home
- Pair with a smart thermostat to even out indoor temperatures
- Use “follow” features to improve occupant comfort in connected rooms
Smart Vents
Smart vents work with smart thermostats to take room-specific temperature control a step further, by allowing you to redirect air flow to different areas of your home. After you set a room’s target temperature, the vents will automatically open and close to maintain it. Unless you’re shutting off rooms for long periods of time, energy savings from smart vents are minimal, but they can improve your comfort. In one test home, installation of eight smart vents caused an eight-degree difference in the temperature between rooms. While setup is fairly straightforward, work with an HVAC professional for larger installations to avoid overpressurizing your HVAC system, which can cause mechanical failure.
- Restrict air flow in rooms that overheat in winter or are too cold in summer
- Easy installation, with little or no modification needed to your heating and cooling system
- Choose vents with built-in air filters to improve indoor air quality
Smart Heating Systems
Smart central HVAC systems that incorporate zoning sensors and smart vents have the potential to significantly reduce heating and cooling costs. They send information to your smart thermostat about the temperature and humidity in different “zones” of your home, in order to control how often each zone is heated. Smart heating systems work best (and are most efficient) when installed during new home construction. Retrofits are generally infeasible.
- Save up to 10% on heating and cooling costs
- Automatically detect routine maintenance and mechanical issues such as a bad blower, leaky duct, or poor sealing
- For best results, install during new building construction
Smart Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans help circulate air throughout your home, and provide a welcome breeze during summer months. Their smart counterparts make operation a breeze, too, with voice-activated control. Smart fans use temperature, motion, and humidity sensors to adjust speed as needed, and can work in concert with your smart thermostat to provide more cost-effective cooling.
- Temperature, motion, and humidity sensors adjust fan speed automatically
- Use voice control, or set schedules to turn on or change speed at specific times of day
- Can work alone or with heating and cooling systems to keep energy costs down
Smart Window Coverings
Shades that open themselves at sunrise? Windows that become transparent when charged with electricity? Smart window shades and films offer an elegant solution to high energy bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, more than 50% of manual window coverings go unadjusted. Smart coverings use daylight sensors or set schedules to adjust automatically, and can work with your smart thermostat to optimize temperature and energy use. Proper use can significantly reduce heating and cooling costs.
- Reduce heating and cooling costs by 11-20%, and lighting by 3%
- Improve privacy, security, and comfort
- Buy new, or retrofit existing coverings