Hive heating system

Is a Smart Thermostat right for you?

It seems like more and more home appliances are becoming ‘smart’. Smart TV’s, smart speakers, even smart fridges. How worthwhile are these devices? Is forking out hard-earned money for fancy gadgets really the ‘smart’ move?

First of all, what is a smart thermostat?

A smart thermostat connects your heating system to the internet, meaning you can control your home’s heating and hot water from your phone, tablet, or other device. It is as simple as downloading an app. Too cold in the house? Just a few taps on your phone’s screen and you can change that. Going on holiday? No need to dig out your boiler’s owners manual to try and figure out how to stop it turning on on a timer. You can do it on your phone from the departure gate at the airport!

What makes a smart thermostat so smart?

  •  They learn how you like your heating managed – Smart thermostats can learn what you like, and how you like it. The device will recognised your perfect room temperature so your home and your family will never too hot or too cold.
  • Geofencing – It sounds fancy, but what does it mean? Geofencing refers to the practise of using GPS technology to create a virtual boundary, so that software can trigger a response when a device such as a phone or tablet enters a geographic area. Geofencing is a common feature that many smart thermostats offer. It would allow your heating system to know when your car pulls into the drive and automatically turn on the heating, for example.
  • Feedback – Your smart thermostat will be able to tell you, via its associated app, how many hours you have been heating your home month on month. By tracking this, you can save money, and make your household more energy efficient and eco-friendly.

How much will one set me back?

The unit itself will set you back between £200 and £350 plus installation. How expensive the installation will be would depend on whether you are using the smart thermostat to control just your heating system, or your hot water as well. A smart thermostat can only control your hot water if you have a separate hot water tank.

In conclusion

The initial investment of buying and installing the unit may be a little steep, but a smart thermostat can give you such a high level of control over your home heating system and, ultimately, save you money in the long run. It is also a highly energy efficient method of heating your home, meaning that you can save money while doing your part to look after the planet.

Interested in installing a smart thermostat in your home?

If you’re interested in making your home life a little bit smarter, give Highfield Plumbing and Heating a call, our skilled engineers can talk you through the options available to you and give you our expert advice.