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Smart Thermostats

Smart Thermostat: Is It Really Smart in the South?

By July 6, 2020October 5th, 2020No Comments
Smart thermostats- are they worth it?

We live busy lives and are always trying to find a way to save time, money, and energy. Everything is programmable nowadays to turn on and off on its own. A smart thermostat is controlled remotely by wifi. It learns your behaviors and the settings you want in the home. Many people are out of the home during the day, especially in summer, and you might think that letting the fan run instead is a good idea. However, with the high humidity in the south, does it make sense to have a smart thermostat? Let’s find out….

Cost of the Smart Thermostat Versus Programmable Thermostat

 A programmable thermostat can cost as little as $25 while a smart thermostat can cost over $250.  It will take time to make up the money spent and you will need to decide if it is worth it. You can save money with the smart thermostat, but you can do the same with a regular thermostat by the settings you choose when you are home and away.  There are a lot of great features, such as programming it to come on before you get home and while on vacation. However, the “dumb” thermostat is easily programmable and can do the same thing. 

High Humid Climates and Smart Thermostat Setting

Running just the fan instead of the air conditioning unit may sound like a way to save money. However, in humid climates, it is not a good idea. When the fan on the thermostat is set to the “on” setting, it runs for hours and causes the relative humidity and dew point to increase in the home. This is because the coils had time to get cold and the water vapor condenses on the coil.  Then, as the temperatures rise, the water evaporates and goes back into the house or building. This is not good and leaves the home prone to mold growth. 

Smart thermostat and keep fan on "auto" and not "on"

Duct Leakage and Higher Energy Bills

Duct leakage can also occur. When air that is conditioned is distributed from an air condition unit and furnace, it gets into the air ducts before it reaches the room where it should be. Unbalanced duct-leakage can also happen. This can occur if one side of the HVAC air handler is pulling a certain percentage into the home, while the other side is not pushing the same out. This can also be vice versa. This unbalance can cause air leakage across the home, higher energy bills, excess in allergens, and hot and cold spots in rooms. 

Conclusion

Homeowners in cooler year-round temperature states may benefit from a smart thermostat. However, this is only if you like to play with gadgets and use the app to set it. A regular programmable thermostat is more economical and you can set it to the desired comfort level in your home.

One thing is for certain though, leave the fan setting an “auto” rather than “on” to keep low humidity in the home. The humidity in the southern states is nothing to play with and will end up costing you more money.

Have questions about smart thermostats or need help programming your basic thermostat? Drop us a reply below!