I recently switched from a manual thermostat to a wifi model, and the difference has been amazing.
I was a little concerned by the price of the smart thermostat.
The options that include internet connectivity cost several hundred dollars. However, the energy savings has quickly recovered the investment. I no longer need to remember to adjust the temperature setting when my family leaves the house for the day or heads to bed at night. For the first week after the thermostat was installed, it kept track of the adjustments we made. It learned our schedule and preferences and built a program accordingly. Now, the thermostat automatically minimizes demands on the furnace and air conditioning and yet provides for perfect comfort. I rarely need to adjust the setting. However, if our schedule should change, it’s easy to make changes through an app on my smartphone. Plus, I get reminders when it’s time to replace the air filter or schedule annual maintenance. I receive alerts if there’s a problem with the heating or cooling equipment, and the thermostat contacts my regular HVAC contractor. Very often, these concerns can be resolved through remote diagnosis, saving me the cost of a service call. I also keep track of our energy usage and take advantage of energy saving tips. I like that the thermostat provides a weather forecast, indoor humidity levels and automatically lights up when I enter the room. I was worried that I’d have some trouble figuring out how to operate the new thermostat, but the touchscreen is extremely user-friendly. It guides me through the steps for programming and making changes.