Smart home tech demand is experiencing a somewhat linear phase, thanks to persistent challenges in the market that hinder mass adoption.
However, a TikTok post from CNET (@cnetdotcom), displaying the value of a Nest smart home thermostat, deserves some attention. According to Tyler Lacoma, editor for home security and the centerpiece of the clip, "Tech like this can save your home money, or just pay for itself."
@cnetdotcom The greatest part of having a smart thermostat is how much it can help you save on your energy bill. Just ask CNET Home Security Editor Tyler Lacoma. #smartthermostat #hometech #smarthome #tech #techtok #thermostat #energybills #energy #homeenergy ♬ original sound - CNET
Smart thermostats pay for themselves by optimizing heating and cooling via built-in learning capabilities. As Tyler implies in the clip, the Nest learns the routines of those living in the house, adjusting accordingly, especially in the evening and full noon hours.
Remote access and "zone" based heating/cooling reduce runtime by focusing on specific rooms, generally the room everyone spends the most time in. Traditional thermostats are far simpler, kicking on when the temperature reaches a predetermined setting.
The smart version, whether it's a Nest (Google), Ecobee (Amazon), or Honeywell, saves the average homeowner 8% on heating and cooling costs per year, according to Energy Star and the Environmental Protection Agency.
That may sound like a drop in the bucket, but the average is not indicative of every individual and their specific circumstances. Setting your thermostat's cooling to 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer will result in more savings than someone who sets theirs at 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
The point that CNET and Tyler Lacoma are making is that one semi-uncomfortable year, setting a thermostat higher during the summer and lower in the winter, will generally save enough to purchase a smart thermostat.
More importantly, for everything beyond the individual home, minimizing unnecessary heating and cooling, combined with the broader use of smart thermostats throughout the U.S. and the world, can reduce carbon pollution.
According to Project Drawdown, a nonprofit organization promoting solutions to the changing climate, mass adoption of smart thermostats could boost energy efficiency on a mass scale, while reducing carbon pollution by 6.91 to 7.25 gigatons.
Homes can do even more, however. As one response post put it, "Depending on the unit you have, be careful and pay attention to the full equipment and duct system. Not just the thermostat."
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Switching to a smart thermostat saves money and helps in the broader effort to reduce carbon pollution — a win-win any day of the week.
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