As a followup to my last post addressing programmable thermostats and our tendencies as homeowners to be selecting all the wrong [but with good intentions] settings, I am excited to show a new product that has promise to save you energy, increase home comfort and maybe even add some fun to your day to day. "Intelligent conservation solutions for real people"....That's the headline in one marketing piece for the latest in smart thermostats built with the homeowner in mind. Presenting: ecobee. The ecobee is a WiFi connected smart thermostat designed to save you money in utility costs and reduce your environmental impact. Its capabilities are enormous, with the capability to monitor and report heating/cooling systems status' such as the amount of time your furnace/boiler or air conditioner run in a day to the usefulness of having your own web portal to change the settings while away.
Have a vacation property? Multiple homes? Busy lifestyle (who doesn't)? The ecobee brings us the ability to control when and for how long our heating/cooling systems run. This is extremely beneficial for those of us who are heading to the cabin for the weekend, either from a computer or from an iPhone & Droid app we can now turn up the heat on the way up north rather than bear the frigid temps waiting for the place to heat when we get there. And talk about savings!
Regular programmable thermostats are "locked" in to the program we set for them. I can't speak for everyone but, my families schedule hardly meets the actual definition of a schedule, we are going every which way but loose most days. With the instant connectivity to my Droid phone via an app I can easily change the temperature settings with the swipe of my finger, after all we planned on being home for dinner but those plans go out the window sometimes....I don't need the heat to kick back up for a few hours, not today....
This may seem contradictory to my last post, it isn't though. The ecobee has a monitoring and reporting function that allows me to see how my system is performing, showing me information that can help me save energy by not having too deep of a set-back. With cool features like a 5-day weather forecast of my local area I can even decide to adjust my heating cooling settings in anticipation of upcoming weather patterns....now that's kinda geeky but it makes sense!
There's safety built in!
Wouldn't it be nice to know if there is a problem at home before you get there, during normal business hours when you can get someone for service? The ecobee has the ability to send an alert if your system is malfunctioning. An alert can be sent because the home's temperature is too low, indicating the furnace is out or the a water sensor can be installed in the basement to alert you if there is a leak or the sump pump stopped working. Does your big box store t-stat do that?
This interactive way of home comfort is a 180 degree turn away from a traditional programmable thermostat, and with great results.....SAVINGS! I would love the opportunity to show you how it works, how it may fit into your lifestyle and the benefits it is sure to bring to your bottom line.
