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SHOULD YOU INVEST IN A WIFI THERMOSTAT IN BOSTON, MA?

WiFi thermostats have been gaining ground in the US marketplace for a few years. Today, many manufacturers offer WiFi enabled options for controlling the temperature in your home. Is now the time to invest in a WiFi thermostat?

Choosing a WiFi thermostat
Nest Labs has received a lot of attention for its Wi-Fi thermostat, but Nest, which was founded in 2010, isn’t actually the first WiFi enable thermostat on the market. That honor goes to Ecobee, a Toronto company that was founded in 2007. Ecobee is now on its third-generation device.

Aside from Ecobee and Nest, Honeywell, Trane, Schneider Electric, Lux/Geo, Emerson, Aprilaire, Venstar and a host of others offer WiFi enabled thermostats. Generally speaking, WiFi thermostats – when used properly – can reduce your energy expenditures by about 20%-25%. Since heating and cooling account for the majority of a home’s energy consumption, it’s fair to say that you can realize significant savings using a WiFi thermostat. How much you save will depend upon how much you consume.
If you’re purchasing a new heating and cooling system, chances are good that the manufacturer makes a WiFi enabled thermostat. Going with a thermostat that’s made by the manufacturer of your equipment virtually eliminates the issue of compatibility.

If you’re going with an after-market product, you’ll need to do a little research on your candidates to verify that a particular product works with your heating and cooling equipment. You may need additional wiring to support WiFi operation. You’ll also need to verify that a product is compatible with your household wireless router. Finally, you’ll want to know that the product you select works with the mobile devices you use. iOS is the most popular mobile platform, followed by Android. Windows is less popular, so if you carry a Windows phone or a Windows mobile device, you will want to make sure a compatible app is available so you can control your thermostat while you’re away.

If you’re good with technology, WiFi thermostat installation can be a do-it-yourself project. If you’re not good with technology, or your system needs additional wiring to support the thermostat, you may want to go with professional installation and setup. Right now, customers of Eversource, National Grid, Columbia Gas, Liberty Utilities and Berkshire Gas can purchase certain WiFi thermostats at a discount through the MassSave program and have them professionally installed at no cost! In addition, you may be eligible for rebates of up to $100 on WiFi thermostats not available through MassSave’s discount purchase program.

If you’d like more information about WiFi thermostats, or would like to have one installed through MassSave, please give us a call at Boston Standard Plumbing & Heating at (617) 362-0377 . We’ll be happy to help you select a WiFi thermostat that’s right for you, and get it up and running!
Photo Credit: ecobee

Categories:
DIY Air Conditioning, DIY Blog, DIY Heating

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