Your toes are like ice. Your teeth almost chatter.

If you can’t get near your beautiful windows because of the chill, you might need to look at changing the thermostat. No, not turning up the temp, but buying a new thermostat.

There are lots of features you can add to your home to increase its value, from water features to a new roof. Add a smart thermostat to your list, and consider the benefits of smart heating.

1. WiFi Access from Anywhere

Smart thermostats connect to the internet, meaning you now have access no matter where you are. Your smartphone links to the system, and then you can change everything from anywhere in the world where you can connect to the internet.

Now you can turn down the thermostat from work if you forgot to do it before you left. Or watch the thermostat while you’re on vacation. If you see a jump in temp, you can ask someone to check on the house because you know no one should be there.

You’ll get spoiled by how convenient it is. Now you don’t have to get out of bed in the morning to turn the heat up. All you have to do is wait while the house warms enough for you to leave the toasty blankets.

2. Save Money with Smart Heating

A smart thermostat makes it easier to adjust the temp. You can save hundreds of dollars a year by turning the thermostat down when you’re not home, and the interface on your smartphone gets the job done in no time.

It also keeps track of data, like your average daily temperature and schedule. The smart thermostat lets you see the breakdown of energy usage. You can use this reporting to help lower your energy bills and cut costs in your home.

3. Intelligent Features

A smart thermostat wouldn’t be helpful if it wasn’t, well, intelligent. It sends you reports without you asking it to (because who remembers to check that?), and it sends you reminders, too.

Forget about when you last changed the filters because now your thermostat will tell you. And it knows other things, like how humid it is. The thermostat can adjust according to the level of moisture in the air so you don’t feel chilly, even when it’s the same temp as the day before.

Bonus, smart thermostats can send you emergency notifications if they’re not working. And most of the time it can tell you why (like a power outage).

Almost half of Americans have natural gas heat, and another 30 percent have electric. There are smart thermostats for each system, like this one for electric heat — click to learn more.

4. Comfort

Smart thermostats help the heating system be more efficient. They cycle faster than with your old thermostat. That means they keep the house temperature more even, sensing when the temp is about to drop. 

Relax in comfort without worrying about why you feel extra cold when you have a smart thermostat.

You can feel cold even when people around you only act like they’re cold, like catching a sickness. It’s called cold contagion. Keep everyone in the house at the right temperature so you don’t give out the chills with a smart thermostat.

5. Programmable

Your old thermostat was programmable, and the smart thermostat is, too. But it’s better. No more mashing buttons trying to figure out what they do.

Most smart thermostats have free apps that make your journey through them intuitive and easy to figure out. But the best part is you don’t have to program it if you feel like it’s too much of a hassle. It’s so smart it can adapt to when you’re home or not, making your life so much easier.

Adding smart home features (in the kitchen during a remodel, too) like a smart thermostat make more of your life automatic, which means you can spend that extra time and energy on something more important.

6. Share Access

If your family wants in on all the fun, it’s not a problem for your new smart thermostat. Most have options to include other users so you can all access the home and the temperature controls.

They can also get the same notifications, so it’s not only your responsibility to change the filter or maintain the system anymore. You can even give other people like babysitters limited access so they can change some aspects of the system but not the important ones.

Remove users when they no longer need to adjust the temp in your home (like a house sitter after you come back from vacation).

One caveat — make sure you don’t get into a family feud about the temp in the house. One feud in American history got so bad it delayed Arizona’s acceptance as a new state in the Union. Keep it civil, and agree on a temperature where you can all feel comfortable.

Living Up To The Hype

Smart heating has all kinds of benefits, from WiFi access and saving money to intelligent features. Live in comfort with programmable options and share control with the whole family.

Once you find out how easy having a smart thermostat makes your life, you can add features like automating lights and appliances with smart home technology. Even check the security system while you’re away to keep your mind at ease.

For more information about what your home can do for you, or finding the right place for your family, contact Bonnie Roberts Realty today.