It’s likely that by now you’ve at least heard of smart thermostats and home automation, maybe even here on MM Comfort Systems Blog. However, you may have also made the assumption that these smart products are only for flashy, high tech, or brand new homes. Granted, home automation does often seem like something out of a sci-fi story, but recently it has become an option that is affordable and useful for everyone.
One of the key components to home automation (and usually the first automated product homeowner’s purchase) is a smart thermostat. These devices are appealing because they offer a multitude of benefits at a reasonable price. Smart thermostats allow you to coordinate temperature settings with the times your home is empty/occupied, then will automatically adjust temperature based on these programs, by either lowering the temperature in the winter or raising it in the summer. This translates into savings on your energy bill and also makes going green that much easier. You can even adjust settings based on personal preference; if you sleep more comfortably when the room is cooler, you can set the thermostat to lower the temperature around your bedtime, and it will continue to do so without repeated fussing.
Some thermostat models even come with zoning features, which divide your home into multiple zones, and allow the temperature in each area to be adjusted individually. If you know you won’t be going upstairs until it’s time to go to bed, you can set the thermostat so that temperature upstairs is lowered or raised depending on the season, saving you even more money and energy. It’s an incredibly efficient system that will essentially pay for itself.
Some of the more advanced home automation systems will also control other appliances, like lighting, and door/window locks. These systems are controlled remotely through mobile apps and operate using Wi-Fi. Home automation systems like these are fully expected to be considered mainstream within the next decade.
There are quite a few companies already looking to get into the game when it comes to this type of affordable home automation. It was just announced that Google bought Nest, a smart thermostat company, for a whopping $3.2 billion. They clearly see home automation as something worth investing in. Cable provider Comcast is in the game too, offering not only cable and internet under their Xfinity package, but now also adding in home security and home automation services to their list of products and services. Meanwhile, their main competitor DirecTV bought LifeShield last year and is starting to expand their offerings from solely home security to total home automation.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to smart thermostats and home automation. It’s often very easy to become overwhelmed or confused and end up purchasing the wrong product. That’s where MM Comfort Systems comes in: they not only offer smart thermostats but also have the experience to walk you through the comparing and purchasing processes so you fully understand your product, which is a bonus many larger corporations may not be able to offer. Just send MM Comfort Systems a request for an in-home consultation to get the ball rolling toward an easier, and greener, way to control your home temperature!
