What Is a Smart Thermostat? And Why You Should Make the Switch Today

  AUTHOR: Joshua Martin
 UPDATED: November 20, 2023

So, you're considering a smart thermostat and perhaps you’re trying to learn a little bit more before taking the plunge and making the switch.

Smart home technology and home automation is a rapidly growing trend and with new technology continuously being released, it can be hard to keep up. I had the same issues when I first started.

I just didn’t know what some of the technology was or how it could benefit me. What is a smart thermostat? And how do they work? After going through some research, here’s what I can share with you.

What is a smart thermostat? A smart thermostat is one component of a smart home automation system. It controls a home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A smart thermostat allows for Wi-Fi connectivity which enables the user to program and control the thermostat from desktop and mobile devices.

Smart thermostats have many other features and benefits that need to be considered. Whether it’s the cost, or fear that it may be too difficult for you to use or understand, you’re not alone.

In this article, I plan on breaking down some of the frequently asked questions and concerns. Stick around for a moment and let’s get started!

Smart Home Deals @ Amazon

A Deeper Look at the Smart Thermostat

We’ve already mentioned how smart thermostats control the home's heating and cooling system. And we briefly touched on the ability of a smart thermostat to be connected to and controlled by a smartphone.

What we haven’t looked at are the other significant benefits a smart thermostat can provide to you.

Let me give you a few examples of what I mean.

Understanding Your Patterns

One of the most popular features of a smart thermostat is the ability to learn about you and your behaviors over time. Specifically, your temperature habits. Both when you are home and when you are away.

It’s like having a new best friend making sure your home’s temperature is optimized.

You see, a smart thermostat can begin to learn the patterns of what temperatures you set your home to in the summer and in the winter. It can even learn those patterns by the day and by the hour.

It’s important to note that it will take some time for your new thermostat to learn these behaviors. This may not happen within the first 30 days.

If you are impatient and can’t wait for your smart thermostat to learn your temperature behaviors, most smart thermostats will let you set the schedule directly on its app.

Understanding your habits with heating and cooling is when the energy and cost savings can begin.

I should clarify something, a smart thermostat can save you substantial money, but only if you use it correctly. You must use and take full advantage of all the features a smart thermostat offers to see the monthly heating and cooling bills start to decrease.

One of the main reasons some users don’t report cost savings is because they're not truly using the smart thermostat’s features, capabilities, and functions to the fullest extent.

Let the Smart Thermostat Do Its Job

Listen, you’re going to spend roughly $175.00 - $500.00 to purchase a new smart thermostat. So, if you intend to override the smart thermostat’s “brain” and you plan on using it like a traditional thermostat, it would be more advisable to just stick with your home’s original thermostat.

If, however, you’re the forgetful type who often leaves home without adjusting the thermostat or turning the heater or air conditioning off, and you plan on utilizing the smart thermostat’s features, then the savings can really start to add up.

For a clearer understanding, let’s look at how this could work for you.

Example A - Traditional Thermostat User/Forgetful User

Let’s say you tend to forget to turn off your HVAC system and leave it running all day, no matter what the temperature is outside or what the scenario may be. You’re still using your original home thermostat and paying a decently hefty gas and electric bill every month.

Because you have your system running non-stop, this can add to those utility bills relatively quickly. Even on some of the most efficient HVAC systems, using a traditional thermostat can cause high energy usage and high utility bills.

Example B - Smart Thermostat User/Forgetful User

This is where it gets good and what makes a smart thermostat worth the purchase.

In this example, you are still a forgetful user or maybe just rushed for time. You leave for work, the kid's soccer game, or a night out on the town, but just never remember to turn off the A/C or heater.

In comes the smart thermostat. A smart thermostat can begin memorizing what temperatures you prefer and when you adjust them. It can learn what times you are home and when you are away.

Many smart thermostats literally ask permission to “learn user behavior.” This is the one feature you do not want to override if you are the forgetful or rushed type.

Once the smart thermostat knows your temperature likes and dislikes, it can start making your home’s temperature a top priority.

Let the Cost Savings Begin!

Now that your smart thermostat has learned your behaviors and your temperature tendencies, this is where we really see its features and benefits begin to shine.

You can program your smart thermostat to shut down or turn on during certain hours during the day. It will use the minimum amount of effort and energy to get your home up to (or down to) your desired temperatures, BUT only at the times it knows that you need it.

Say you’d like your house at 72 degrees when you get home from work. You can program your smart thermostat to begin cooling once you get off work so it can reach your desired temperature once you arrive at home. With this option, Less Energy Used = More Money Saved.

Or let’s say you want to keep your home at a minimum temperature in the winter, so your pipes don’t freeze while you’re away for the holidays. A smart thermostat can do this for you while using the least amount of energy and doing so on “auto-pilot.”

Again, Less Energy Used = More Money Saved.

When Would You Not Experience Any Cost Savings?

The examples we have covered so far illustrate a forgetful (or rushed) user that consistently leaves the heater or AC running all day. The other end of the spectrum does exist. Some people are diligent and extremely religious about turning off the air or adjusting settings constantly to save money.

In these situations, it’s very possible not to see any cost savings with a smart thermostat. If you do see savings, the break-even point won’t be nearly as soon considering your original investment is in that $175.00 - $500.00 range that we previously discussed.

Also, you won’t save money if you purchase a smart thermostat just to have the fancy digital screen on the wall. If you are treating it like a standard wall thermostat and overriding all of its features, it’s probably not worth the investment to get started.

It does look pretty cool though, so I get. I’m sure many people buy a smart thermostat purely because of the looks as opposed to the features.

Are Smart Thermostats Easy to Use?

Smart home thermostats are nothing more than a touch screen thermostat with the ability to control the thermostat settings through an application on a desktop or mobile device.

The application will walk you through the initial programming on the screen. A product manual is also included to help troubleshoot any other difficulties you may be experience.

What Other Benefits Do Smart Thermostats Offer?

Plenty, if you ask me. Outside of the cost saving features, one of my favorite perks of the smart thermostat is the ability to lock the wall thermostat and control everything myself from my smartphone.

Locking the wall thermostat prevents anyone from adjusting the thermostat without you knowing. If you have kids running around, it’s a very nice feature to have to keep them from adjusting or changing any settings.

Also, if you work crazy hours and you make it difficult for your smart thermostat to learn your behavior, the mobile app and touch screen interface on the actual thermostat are extremely easy to use. If you frequently work these odd shifts, you can program your thermostat up to 30 days in advance.

Lastly, some of the newer smart thermostats are compatible with Amazon‘s Alexa. This allows you to control the smart thermostat and perform all functions with a few simple voice commands.

The new ecobee SmartThermostat can even play music and perform sports and weather updates right through your thermostat by merely talking to Alexa. You can learn more about the ecobee SmartThermostat's features and see the price on Amazon by clicking here.

By using all these features, you can be sure you are taking full advantage of the benefits of owning a smart thermostat.

At the End of The Day, Should You Purchase a Smart Thermostat?

This will entirely depend on you and this is not a black and white answer. As we have stated a few times, if you are the type that forgets and never turns off your AC or heater then, yes, you should consider purchasing one.

If you plan on remaining in your home long enough to see the effect of the smart thermostat on your energy usage, a smart thermostat may make sense.

The goal is to lower the cost of your heating and cooling bills, and if you rent an apartment or plan on moving soon, it’s probably not worth going through the process.

Not to mention, if you rent, it’s likely your landlord won’t allow you to replace the current thermostat by installing a smart one.

Where Should I Purchase a Smart Thermostat?

This is also entirely up to you. If it were me, I’d look for the best deals by shopping on Amazon. If you need a cozy relationship with a sales rep in case something goes wrong, I would try a retailer such as Best Buy or Home Depot.

Often, on Black Friday or even Cyber Monday, you can get smart thermostats for up to 50% off. This would be a great time to purchase if you are working with a tight budget.

Can I Install the Smart Thermostat Myself?

Smart thermostats are extremely easy to install. And you can easily do it yourself.

You would simply:

1. Remove your original thermostat from the wall.



2. Connect four wires (it’s typically one wire for the fan, one wire for the air conditioning, one wire for the heat, and one power wire).



3. Then place your smart thermostat in the same spot as your old thermostat.

Simple, right? Easy as 1,2,3.

However, please double check that the smart thermostat is compatible with your current HVAC system. Some tri-climate and other tricky systems don’t work quite the way they should when switching to a smart thermostat, so you want to be careful before purchasing.

Putting It All Together - Another Key Piece of Home Automation

Smart home automation is beginning to take over many of the everyday tasks and functions we are used to performing manually.

With everything from lighting controls, smart hubs, and smart thermostats, the power of smart home technology is beginning to make life a whole lot easier.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you should adapt to the current trends, but you should definitely consider it.

Converting your home into a smart home can not only save you money in the long run, but it can save you considerable time and headache as well.

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