A “smart thermostat” that can save Pioneer Valley homeowners money

As the mercury starts to drop with autumn upon us, many are starting to budget for increased energy costs. People have been saving on their energy bills by utilizing programmable thermostats for years, but there is another programmable thermostat that is easier to use and will likely save you more money.

Nest has been around for a little while now. It is a “smart thermostat” developed by former employees of Apple’s Iphone division. So what do Iphone’s and thermostats have in common? Well, imagine that you left your house and forgot to turn down the thermostat. With Nest, you can actually turn down your thermostat with your Iphone or other mobile devices. If you are heading home, you can also turn the thermostat up for when you arrive.

As a “smart thermostat”, Nest also learns your habits so you won’t need to turn down the heat every time you leave the house. All you have to do is set the thermostat over a couple of days and it will learn your routine and adapt. It even utilizes motion detectors to determine when nobody is home for those unscheduled times that you need to leave the house to run errands.

The latest Nest upgrade, which is free to existing Nest users, adapts to different types of heating systems. Although the manufacturers claim that it works with 95% of heating systems, they offer guidance for consumers to help determine if their heating system is compatible.

This thermostat also encourages you to save more money by awarding leafs, which appear on the thermostat when you set it to a temperature that will save you more money. The only reward you get from the little green leaves is less of an energy bill. You will also be able to measure your energy use with the monthly report you receive via Nest.

Nest thermostats are more expensive than conventional programmable thermostats with a price of $249.00, but as with any energy improvements, they always end up paying for themselves over time.

If you are planning on buying or selling a home in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, make your first call to Michael Seward at 413-531-7129. You’ll be glad that you did.