Smart Thermostats

An advanced temperature control device, the smart thermostat, can be connected to the internet and controlled remotely through smartphone apps or voice-controlled assistants. These internet-connected devices take the concept of the traditional thermostat and add some intelligence to it. They learn the user's temperature preferences, daily routines, and energy-saving tendencies. When one of these devices is installed in a home, it automatically programs itself to the schedules and routines of the people in the home. When it senses that the home is unoccupied, it knows just how much to "let up" on the heating or cooling system to save energy.

Energy savings are the real smartness of smart thermostats. Their "brains" are in their algorithms—sophisticated and mostly secretive (unless you're a programmer who can read the code)—that accomplish several tasks very well. If you want the AI set loose on thermostats, do it here: with algorithms that need to decide the kind of cycle to use to heat or cool a space, and for how long to use that cycle, and when, and whether the space needs heating or cooling at that moment, and for whom.

The intricacy of installing a smart thermostat is relative to the kind of HVAC system and electrical configuration you have. Most smart thermostats arrive with straightforward instructions—often elaborated upon in online videos—that a capable homeowner can follow. Nevertheless, if your system is particularly complex (more on that in a minute), it's probably a good idea to spring for some sort of professional help. Most, if not all, smart thermostats have support staff who can guide you to the paths of both proper installation and peace of mind.

Most modern heating and cooling systems—central air, heat pumps, and multi-stage setups—are good candidates for smart thermostats. Yet they are not universally compatible. It is essential to verify that the specific model you want to buy will work with your particular system. Some provide better compatibility than others; certain smart stats might require your old or uncommon system to use some kind of add-on. When buying a smart stat, use the model's compatibility checklist found on the manufacturer's website to ensure you'll have a working system after it's installed.

There are numerous ways to get a smart thermostat to work with the kinds of routines that make the "smart" part of a smart home shine. Most of these involve commands that you give to different voice-activated assistants about what temperature you want or need in certain situations. What many people don't realize is that getting a smart thermostat to work with these kinds of instructions is a two-way street. The smart thermostat needs to be set up to receive commands, and if it isn't, then you won't be controlling it in the way that makes the most sense.

A smart thermostat can save you energy—how much varies, but the average seems to be around 10% to 15%. For most users, that translates into savings on the order of $100 to $200 a year. Some of us save a little more, some a little less; the exact figure depends on many variables, including local energy prices, climate, home design, and virtually how efficient you are at using the thermostat (and your home). "It's not going to work perfectly; it's going to work well enough that you're going to save money, and it's going to work in such a way that you're not going to notice a difference in comfort," said Rob McNealy, a director at the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office.

Though a stable internet connection is ideal for thermostat performance, even a smart thermostat can manage simple commands without internet access, essentially rendering it a dumb device with a default instrinsic temperature setpoint. When you cut the internet cord, you don't cut the power cord. Most models come with a backup battery, but in the event of a prolonged power outage, the units will eventually run out of charge. However, we might not be around to enjoy the toasty warmth of a power-failed smart thermostat.

Manufacturers of smart thermostats pour substantial resources into cybersecurity to safeguard both user information and the operation of the devices themselves. The companies apply encryption protocols, issue frequent firmware updates, and employ secure authentication methods to keep the bad guys out. And there are some steps that the users can take, like not using dumb passwords, that make the device and the information it holds more secure. Overall, your best bet is to buy a smart thermostat from a company with a good security record.

Most intelligent thermostats employ a method mix to determine when people are home, which allows the devices to work their best. The working environment of a smart thermostat can be quite different from one home to another, so the devices are designed to use various methods to be sure they know what is going on.Occupancy detection in smart thermostats is a very interesting subject because it has to do with both hardware and software solutions. And as we will see, some methods are better at certain things than others.

Advanced features frequently found on smart thermostats exceed the functionalities one would expect from a simple temperature-regulating device. These can be seen in the monitoring capabilities, the amount and depth of data reported, and even in the type of algorithms used. Some smart thermostats can tell when you're home—many use geofencing for this. They can even give you audits of how efficient your home's energy use has been over the past month.