Showerthought: I used to think smart thermostats were a gimmick

My brother got one for our parents' house in Omaha last Christmas. I figured it was just a fancy clock. But after seeing their heating bill drop by $45 this January, I had to admit it works. The auto schedule actually learns when they're home. Anyone else have a smart home thing they were wrong about?

3 comments

3 Comments

drewsullivan1mo ago

My old house in St. Louis had the worst drafts. I fought with a basic programmable thermostat for years, but the schedules never matched our real life. The game changer was setting the smart thermostat's "home/away assist" to use our phones' location. It cut our gas bill by about 30 bucks a month in the winter because it finally stopped heating an empty house. The key is to not just set a schedule but to use those auto features that actually notice when you leave.

lopez.karen1mo ago

Thirty bucks a month? That's a whole grocery trip. I need to check my settings.

linda5001mo ago

My thermostat's been heating the house for my ghosts.