Is it worth the extra cost? The short answer is YES! Of course it depends, but check out your potential dollar savings on this smart thermostat guide we found! If I didn't already own a programmable thermostat, according to the Ecobee and Nest websites I stand to save 10-20% on energy bills with a “smart” thermostat.
The integrated Alexa speaker on the ecobee is a minor advantage. But, if you already have a smart speaker nearby, the extra one might end up causing problems. If it does cause problems, you can disable it. Nest doesn't support HomeKit directly, so if you're a HomeKit user, the ecobee would be a better choice.
Without WiFi, you will not have any smart device functionality. Without Wifi, the Ecobee 3 will still function as a non-smart thermostat through physical access to the wall unit, but will only report the current home temperature and humidity information.
Smart thermostats are lauded as the be-all-end-all solution to every heating and cooling need. But for most people, they're an unnecessary expense. Unless you have a very specific set of needs, you may as well stick with your current “dumb” thermostat.
Top 10 ways to get the most out of your ecobee thermostat
- Handsfree temperature control with virtual assistants.
- An easier way to build a schedule.
- Troubleshoot for accurate temperature readings.
- Balance the temperature throughout your home.
- Override the scheduled temperature for better comfort.
- Protect your home.
ecobee4 currently supports Amazon Music, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio. NOTE: Currently ecobee4 does not support Spotify or Pandora music streaming services. Here are some voice commands you can use with Alexa and your ecobee4 to play music and media: Alexa on ecobee smart thermostat won't play my kindle books.
Auto mode on your ecobee thermostat is great for maintaining a comfortable home temperature in milder climates or in-between heating and cooling seasons. While on this system mode, the ecobee will display two set points—one for heating and one for cooling.
If you want to keep the energy bills low, you should set the thermostat to 'Auto'. However, if you prefer more even distribution of heat inside the house, it's better that you set the thermostat setting to 'On'.
Smart home device companies like Nest have been surveying their consumers, and their reports show that the average smart thermostat can reduce heating costs by 10% and cooling costs by 15% in a residence. For an average household, that could mean around $130 in savings each year.
The advantage of a smart thermostat is its ability to learn a household's patterns and adjust heating and cooling according to when a home is occupied or is about to be occupied. This reduces the use of heating and cooling systems when nobody is home for significant periods of time.
According to ENERGY STAR, setting your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) when you're home is the ideal balance of comfort and energy efficiency.
The average cost of installing a smart thermostat is between $250 and $350, with most homeowners spending around $300.
The Department of Energy estimates savings of about 1 percent for each degree of thermostat adjustment per 8 hours, and recommends turning thermostats back 7 to 10 degrees from their normal settings for 8 hours per day to achieve annual savings of up to 10%.
Heating and cooling expenses can get quite expensive. One of the easiest ways to save on these expenses is by installing a new thermostat in your home. Thanks to advancements in technology, some of today's modern and advanced thermostats maximize energy savings to the fullest.
The Best Smart Thermostat
- Our pick. Google Nest Learning Thermostat. The best smart thermostat.
- Runner-up. Ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control. The most versatile smart thermostat.
- Budget pick. Honeywell Home T5+ Smart Thermostat. Cheaper smart control.
- Our pick. Mysa Smart Thermostat. Best baseboard option.
How to use a Nest Thermostat to save money on your energy bill
- Understand what Eco Temperatures are and how they work. One of Nest's biggest claims to fame is its Eco Temperatures system.
- Turn on Home/Away Assist.
- Keep Auto-Schedule and other Nest Sense features enabled.
- Our top equipment picks.
Your ecobee Smart Thermostat uses different 'Comfort settings' that specify what temperatures to maintain while you are Home, Away, or Sleeping. They work in tandem with the 'Schedule' that you've defined to help it determine which Comfort setting it should be using at any given time throughout the day.
Our ecobee smart thermostats are also all ENERGY STAR® certified.
Sensor FactsThe remote sensors do not include a humidity sensor, but the ecobee does. The motion sensors are passive infrared motion sensors. This means they use the natural infrared radiation given off by all objects as a means of detecting motion, and therefore work regardless of light or dark.
You can save energy and keep your costs in check by keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the daytime. Energy.gov reports that turning your thermostat lower by 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours per day will help you see an energy usage reduction of 5 to 15 percent per year on your bill.
How do I program my schedule on my ecobee thermostat?
- If you wish to change the start time of a particular activity, simply tap on the activity (Home, Away, or Sleep) and adjust the time.
- You will be given the option to choose between your programmed Comfort Settings.
- Choose the time you would like to set for the Comfort Setting, then tap Save in the bottom right.
2 Set Your Schedule
- Wake up your ecobee Smart Thermostat, then tap Menu.
- Tap Schedule.
- Tap the day you want to adjust.
- Tap on the activity you wish to adjust.
- Select the desired start time, then tap Save.
- If you wish to add a new activity, select the +.
- Select the Comfort Setting and then tap Save.
Save money with smart thermostatsFor example, it's estimated that people who use the Nest save an average of 10 to 12 percent on heating bills and 15 percent on cooling bills. Ecobee, on the other hand, reported that its customers can save up to 23 percent on their heating on cooling costs.
Agree the "smart" thermostats are overkill for how much they're going to save though. A few years ago we went from "dumb" thermostats to programmable and that dropped hvac costs by about 10%. About 2 years after that, we switched to NEST and that saved another 10% or more.
