How an Ecobee Thermostat Saves Money on Your Energy Bills

Smart thermostats like the ecobee have been around for years now. But, with the technology always upgrading, it’s worth revisiting these from time to time to go over all the benefits they can bring to your home in Havertown, PA.

And, in particular, for this article, we’re looking at how an ecobee thermostat saves money on your energy bills. While comfort is often the big reason people invest in these, cost-saving and energy efficiency are important factors, too.

Four Ways To Save Money With An ecobee Thermostat

1. Let It Self-Adjust
2. Set Up Geofencing
3. Reports And Alerts
4. Use Sensors Throughout The House

Let It Self-Adjust

For decades now, we’ve been using digital thermostats to program temperature changes throughout the day. Now, smart thermostats like the ecobee can do the job for us.

In particular, the ecobee uses its patented DataRhythm programming. It considers all sorts of data points to strike the perfect balance between keeping you comfortable and conserving energy.

The most prominent feature people know about when it comes to these setups is how the system knows when people are in the house and where they are. Then, it adjusts the temperature based on that information.

The ecobee uses the sensors you place throughout your house, which we’ll explore in-depth a little later. But, the DataRhythm technology doesn’t stop there.

With this programming, the thermostat also understands how your home heats and cools. It gets an idea of the house’s unique drafts, frequent hot and cold spots, and more.

You may notice a big difference in your energy bills — but not your comfort — in the summer, for instance. The system makes the most of the cooler air outside at night to reduce your air conditioning while maintaining the temperature you want.

Set Up Geofencing

Next, you can take your thermostat’s programming capabilities even further by setting up geofencing. That’s when the system knows, based on the location of your smart device, if you’ll be home soon.

Here’s why that’s important.

You can program your thermostat to change the climate based on when you leave the house and when you expect to get home. But, what happens if you get thrown off schedule?

With geofencing, your thermostat can account for all that. If no one’s home at the time it’s supposed to warm things up, it won’t adjust the settings.

However, it will know when you’re getting close. You’ll set up a range for your geofencing — let’s say, a half-mile from your home. Once you (or, more specifically, your phone) get that close to the house, the programming recognizes that you’re close and will then start adjusting the temperature.

This way, you’re not using extra energy to keep the house warm when no one’s there. But it will still be warm when you arrive. That takes away the temptation to crank the heat when you get in.

Or, if that’s too Big Brother for you, you can make these remote adjustments yourself.

The ecobee uses an app that lets you make changes to the settings from your tablet or phone. And, you can use it anywhere you have cell phone coverage or wi-fi. That means you can make the house warmer or cooler from anywhere, anytime.

Reports And Alerts

These days, just about everyone is tech savvy. It’s what happens when we’re all walking around with what would have been considered supercomputers just a few decades ago. As a result, we’re all more attuned to checking stats and alerts all the time.

That brings us to the ecobee app, which provides you with all sorts of information about your energy usage. And, it’s all in real-time — you don’t have to wait for your monthly bill to come in to spot a sudden energy spike.

This comes in handy if you bought a new appliance that suddenly uses more energy than you expected. Or, you might change your routine and start using messing with the temperature during the day, but it turns out that you’re using a lot more electricity or gas.

You’ll see that rise right away and can change course based on what’s happening in the moment. It’s also easier to spot than by looking at a bill that spans the whole month.

Or, if there’s a problem with your heater or central air, you’ll get an alert immediately telling you there’s a problem.

Use Sensors Throughout The House

We mentioned the sensors before. We’ll explain more about them now: Unlike conventional thermostats, the ecobee doesn’t regulate your heating and cooling system based on the reading in only a single room. Instead, it takes into account the varying temperatures across your entire home.

That’s the big drawback of old setups: The bedrooms upstairs would be warmer or cooler than the living room. But, since the thermostat was in the living, that was the only reading that mattered.

Instead, you can install sensors throughout your home, and each one’s readings go into the ecobee’s decision-making about how and when to change the temperature.

Smart Thermostat Installation In Havertown, PA

Most ecobee thermostats are easy to install yourself. As long as you’re replacing an existing thermostat, all the wiring is there for you. But, if you’re putting one in a new Havertown, PA home, or want to make the most of your sensors, you can call John Cipollone, Inc to make sure it’s done right.

We’ll ensure all the wiring is up to code. And, we’ll help you find the best locations for the sensors, so you get the most out of your new system.

Call or email us today for an appointment!