Our ancient ancestors used fire not just to cook but also to protect themselves from predators and the cold. Then, from the late 1800s to the 1950s, the concept of air conditioning popped up. From these, we can clearly see that humans want some control over the temperature. And today, we do it the smart way.
That’s especially true in places with wacky weather. In these areas, days can get too hot or too cold. Either of those does not make anyone feel comfortable. Thankfully, we know the solution to that problem.
Some solutions would cost you lots of money. But there are also things you can do to increase energy efficiency. Consequently, it will help you save cash.
How to Efficiently Winterize and Summerize Your Home
You can start by checking and repairing windows and doors. Don’t forget to include caulking installation, weather stripping, and seals.
Next, have a professionally-installed heating cooling HVAC and furnace system.
Buying smart devices that allow remote access and control is a fantastic idea. It’s even better when you pair it with a strategy for smart-controlled window treatments.
And, of course, a quality maintenance program is never a bad thing.
Temperature Control in Smart Homes
When you want to adjust the temperature, you have to go to where the thermostat or air conditioner is. That’s such a hassle. It interrupts whatever you are doing.
In smart homes, you don’t need to do that. You can control those devices remotely. So, you don’t need to get off the bed or the couch while watching your favorite TV show. All you need is your smartphone and the thermostat’s or hub’s mobile app. And if that’s still not good for you, you can use voice commands instead. Thus, you don’t have to peel your eyes away from the TV screen or the book you are reading.
Devices in smart homes talk to each other and with the router. Meaning these devices pass around lots of data. Between that and your streaming or gaming, the router from your Wi-Fi provider may not be able to keep up. So, it would help if you considered getting an upgrade.
Options like PackEdge Wireless Access Points are great. Furthermore, you may consider Zigbee devices, Z-wave devices, or mesh Wi-Fi systems. These will help eliminate the “dead spots” in your house. So, your devices can stay connected to the network, and you can maintain a strong connection throughout the house.
Controlling The Temperature In Your Home With Control4
Control4, a company founded in 2003 by Eric Smith, Will West, and Mark Morgan, provides automation for homes and businesses. It is like an operating system for the home.
This company offers a wide range of products, including home security, intercom, multi-room audio, smart lighting, and climate control devices.
In 2019, the company hired Charlie Kindel, the project lead for Amazon’s Alexa and Echo Smart Home. So, Control4’s devices are surely high quality.
Control4 is compatible with Alexa, Echo, Ring, Chime, and Aprilaire. Also, the Control4 platform interoperates with more than 13,500 third-party products.
Using this platform, you don’t have to use a tech-heavy interface that only tech geeks understand. You don’t even have to be home to control the temperature in your home. Using your smartphone, you can tell your thermostat to heat or cool the house before you arrive.
Additionally, you can have advanced presets for the thermostat schedule. That will let the device know what to do when you are on vacation or on weekdays or weekends. That will help you reduce energy consumption.
Control4’s 10-inch wall mount screen is one of the big features of its new operating system. It features a graphical interface with responsive touch. You only have to program the preferred temperature there once, and you’re good to go.
The best thing is that the new OS – and the 10,000 apps open platform – has a user-friendly interface. So, even if you are not that techy, you can easily adjust the thermostat from anywhere.
Evolve Technologies and HVAC
Adjusting the air temperature is only one way to control your home’s climate. The most advanced HVAC and home-climate options offer other ways through next-level premium features. Evolve Technologies help you access these.
In tandem with Control4, Evolve Technologies’ Advanced Premium Home Features offer these:
- Turn gas fireplaces on or off.
- Adjust radiant floor heat level.
- Temperature and humidity control for your home gym/workout space
- Adjust pool temperature or turn on jacuzzi jets
- Offers smart zone valves and zone dampers that enable control over a single room’s temperature.
Smart Blinds
The insulation on the window affects the home’s climate. About 76% of the sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows becomes heat when they enter during the cooling seasons. And around 30% of a home’s heating energy is lost through windows.
Thus, window coverings can help you save money by solving this energy loss and lowering energy bills. Smart, motorized shades or blinds are your best options because they open and close at pre-programmed times. Meaning you also don’t have to do it yourself.
Furthermore, some smart blinds learn when they need to open and close by analyzing the temperature and sunlight. That allows you to maximize the energy efficiency of your HVAC system.
You can also manually control the smart blinds using a remote control or an app on your smartphone. That helps make your life more convenient.
Again, as mentioned above, smart home devices talk to each other. That’s another reason to get yourself some smart blinds. They use a trove of data to determine the right course of action. That includes the time of the day, the outside weather, and the temperature inside the home. The smart thermostat can use that data to decide whether it should just close/open the blinds or turn on/off the air conditioning. That helps you cut back on energy costs even more.
As you can see, smart homes can provide you with many features that will not just let you control the temperature inside your home. They also allow you to save money by reducing energy consumption. That’s more reason to get into smart homes.