How Smart Thermostats and Other Products Contribute to Bigger Savings and a Better Planet
Earth Day is just around the corner (April 22), and this year, our partners at ENERGY STAR are celebrating early with Earth Week. Beginning April 17, ENERGY STAR will be raising awareness about how homeowners can make choices that will not only save them money in utility costs, but also help reduce their carbon footprint. At Sensi, we’re proud to be the first smart thermostat to receive the ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence Award, the highest recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy. Sensi Touch users can save about 23% annually on the energy used to power their heating and cooling system.
This Earth Day, we encourage Sensi customers to learn how they can leverage their smart thermostats and other products to save both money and energy this year. Don’t know where to get started? Follow our tips below:
Raise or lower the setpoints of your thermostat while you’re away
The U.S. Department of Energy says homeowners can save up to 10 percent a year on heating and cooling costs by simply turning the thermostat between 7 and 10 degrees Fahrenheit higher or lower (depending on the season) for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. Rather than needing to manually change the setpoints of your thermostat throughout the day, the Sensi app now has several scheduling features to automate and customize temperature adjustments throughout the year. Whether your asleep, at the office or on vacation, the Sensi Touch smart thermostat can work around the clock to save you money and energy all year long.
Take advantage of smart thermostat scheduling features
Your Sensi™ smart thermostat lets you create custom temperature schedules for each day of the week (up to seven independent schedules). Using the Sensi mobile app, select the days you want to follow a specific schedule. Then choose the time and temperature set points for each.
The Early Start feature tells your Sensi thermostat to start the cooling (or heating) system early to ensure that your home is at the exact temperature you want at the time you want it, according to your schedule. These scheduling features help save time and money by optimizing your HVAC system to run when you need it most.
Take advantage of Demand Response Program savings
In an effort to help prevent blackouts/brownouts or deal with extreme weather events, users can enroll their smart thermostats in a Demand Response Program, which provides them the option to have the utility pre-heat or pre-cool the home and avoid using energy during peak demand times. By participating in a demand response program, homeowners can reduce their energy usage and prevent the need to turn on more expensive and less-environmentally friendly resources. When the demand for energy is reduced, so is the possibility of rolling blackouts or periods of power outages. A reduced demand also offsets the need to build new power plants to increase supply, helping keep costs low.
Perform routine maintenance for a better-performing HVAC system
One way to help ensure your HVAC system is performing optimally is by checking and replacing your air filters. Over time, filters can build up dust and other contaminants that are not only unhealthy to breathe, but can negatively affect the performance of your HVAC system, as it must work harder and consume more energy to heat the home. Other easy tasks you can do on your own to improve the efficiency of your system include weatherstripping and caulking any cracks or openings to prevent warm or cool air from leaking into the home and using fans to help keep cool before summer months arrive. However, it’s important remember to save energy by turning fans off once you leave the room.
For more information about how your smart thermostat can help you save green while going green, visit energystar.gov/earthday.
