Ecobee Thermostats | Your Smart Home Dreams Become Reality
Have you heard lately about this phrase, “The Internet of Things”? If not, don’t worry. The Internet of Things is just a way to describe today’s smart homes and the myriad of devices you can control with your phone or tablet including Ecobee thermostats and Nest thermostats. While many companies are competing for dominance in this arena, the nice thing is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to begin accessing the benefits of a smart home. Small changes can drastically improve how your home operates. Whether you are looking for ways to light your home, access your doors, or control comfort, you won’t be at a loss when it comes to choices.
The problem with The Internet of Things is that it has become a very crowded field with multiple technologies competing to become the standard of how your home communicates with your devices. Technologies such as ZigBee, Z-Wave, and Mesh networks have all developed different ways for lights, smoke detectors, cameras, outlets, and much more talk to the internet. The problem with many of these technologies is that they require a separate hub(device that speaks to your home network) and often do not work with one another. This forces homeowners to choose one technology, and stick with it. Fortunately, there are wifi devices that only require access to the wifi in your home. Smart home comfort controls such as Ecobee thermostats and Nest thermostats allow you to control the temperature of your home without the installing and purchasing additional equipment. Ecobee thermostats and Nest Thermostats connect directly to your wifi network. If you already have wireless internet, you can have a smart home.
Ecobee Thermostats & Nest Thermostats | Benefits of Installation
Why go through the expense and time consuming process of installing a smart thermostat? Well, beyond the “cool” aspect, there are plenty of rational reasons.
- Convenience: How would you like to have the ability to control the temperature of your home from anywhere around the world? That might seem excessive, but how about from work, or the couch? Both Ecobee Thermostats and Nest Thermostats can be controlled from any internet connected device. This gives you the freedom to adjust the temperatures whenever you feel like it, from wherever you are. This feature also works great for those with vacation homes. You can monitor the interior climate while you are away, and adjust it for your arrival.
- Savings: Who doesn’t like to save money? Just as with programmable thermostats, Ecobee thermostats and Nest thermostats allow you to program them to operate when you are at home, sleeping, working and more. These smart thermostats go a step further by learning your behavior to provide maximized comfort and energy savings. When combined with a high efficiency heating and cooling system, the savings can really add up. In addition to the monthly savings that you can expect, you can also save money on the price of the thermostat itself. Many utility companies are offering rebates to homeowners that are installing smart thermostats. This can knock up to $150 off of the purchase price.
- Comfort: As mentioned before, smart thermostats offer advanced comfort control. The new Ecobee thermostats have sensors that can be placed in rooms that don’t receive the climate control they should. These sensors offer a form of zoned heating and cooling that can provide cool rooms with heat and hot rooms with more AC.
Installation of Ecobee Thermostats and Nest Thermostats
If you have come to the decision that a wifi connected thermostat is right for you, you now need to think about installation. Unlike most consumer technology, Ecobee thermostats and Nest thermostats work best when installed by a heating and cooling professional. While the box might say that you can do it yourself, you will want to check your homes heating and cooling system first. If your home utilizes a high-voltage (line-voltage) set-up, you are out of luck. In order to install new thermostats such as those offered by Ecobee and Nest, you will need to have a low-voltage set-up. You can identify which type you have by removing your old thermostat from the wall. If you see many, multi-colored wires you have a low-voltage set up. If you only see two wires, you are probably using high-voltage. That being said, a Chicago heating and cooling company can always rewire your system. This would be best performed when replacing old HVAC equipment. If you do not feel comfortable working around electricity, contact us today for a free thermostat installation estimate.
