We all want to do our part to help the environment, but sometimes our budgets simply don’t allow it. Here are some eco-friendly changes you can make around your home that won’t break the bank.
Smart Thermostats
Have you ever realized how crazy it is to leave the heat on after you vacate the house? That’s a bit like our ancestors cutting down all the neighborhood trees to heat an empty cave. Most people have access to technology that allows them to program thermostats to shut off at certain times of day and therefore reduce energy waste. But the traditional programmable thermostat can only do so much.
The Nest, by contrast, is a smart thermostat capable of learning your behavior and modifying its settings accordingly.5 If you come home from work and typically adjust your thermostat to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and then dial it down to 65 degrees at bedtime, the Nest eventually catches on and makes the change for you. And when you leave the house, it automatically turns itself down.
It has other impressive features too. For example, when the Nest “sees” you approaching, it automatically illuminates itself so the screen is easier to read. It can also be controlled remotely so you can adjust the temperature of your home via a cellphone or laptop.
The Nest, which was designed by former Apple engineers and is owned by Google, is a fairly pricey device at $250. But it’s absolutely worth the investment. And if you think you have insufficient expertise to replace an existing thermostat, the company offers straightforward installation tutorials that should boost your confidence.6
For a little bit less money (and, dare we say, style), there are several other smart thermostats on the market. Honeywell’s Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat, for example, won’t learn your temperature habits, but if you have different temperature preferences for different times of the day, it allows you to program them down to the hour for up to seven days.7 It has a user-friendly screen, is easy to set up, and features the kind of built-in flexibility most homeowners appreciate. Plus, this device acts as a small weather station that provides indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity readings, and warns if a storm is coming your way.
Want to learn more?…Contact Digital Living Today and Have Your smart Thermostat Installed Today. Sonoma Napa Marin 877-415-4158 Sacramento 916-919-8100
