Your phone is smart. Your TV is smart. The lock on your front door might even be smart — and all of these tech upgrades make your life easier. Then why are you still making do with an old-school manual thermostat? Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat with it's own app like the Trane Home App, stat!
If you’re new to the option, a smart thermostat is a WiFi-connected device that automatically adjusts the temperature in your home throughout the day and night. “Many use algorithms to learn your household’s behaviors — such as when you wake up and go to bed or when you leave the house in the morning and return at night — to control the temperature automatically, rather than relying on you to program the device manually,” says Dan DiClerico, Good Housekeeping Home Improvement & Outdoor Director.
Smart Thermostat Installation Considerations
Most heating and cooling systems are compatible with a smart thermostat, but DiClerico notes that there are some exceptions. For example, if you have a mini-split system, you’ll have a hard time pairing it. The choices are also limited with two-stage heating systems, though the Trane XL 824 smart thermostat will work with both. Still unsure if your system can handle smartening up? Many manufacturers have information on their websites that make it easy to check if your system is a candidate for a smart thermostat.
Another factor to keep in mind is whether your existing thermostat has a C-wire (aka, a common wire). “It’s required with most smart thermostats to provide continuous power to the display and WiFi connection,” DiClerico explains. “Many older homes don’t have C-wires,” he points out, although some smart thermostats have a C-wire adaptor for homes that don’t already have one. Or, if your home is missing this key piece, you could hire an electrician to install a new C-wire.
Speaking of hiring an electrician, when it comes time for installation, DiClerico always cautions homeowners about tackling this job themselves. “While smart thermostats are often marketed as DIY-friendly, the process can be more complicated than it looks, especially if you’re dealing with a C-wire,” he says. “Unless you have a lot of experience with electrical wiring, play it safe and bring in an electrician.” Read on for four reasons why it’s worth the effort to upgrade.
4 Advantages of a Smart Thermostat
Move over, manual thermostats. Smart thermostats catapult your home’s climate control into the 21st century by:
- Offering remote convenience. You can control your home’s heating and cooling system directly from your smartphone, tablet or desktop no matter where you are — sitting on your couch, out running errands, or on vacation halfway around the world.
- Saving you money. Most smart thermostats are in the $200 range, but energy bill savings over time can help offset the cost. Smart thermostats reduce heating and cooling costs by providing precisely the amount of heating or cooling you need without a lot of trial and error — a difference that can add up to $100 or more per year depending on the size of the home, says DiClerico.
- Setting your preferences. Smart thermostats allow you to create custom schedules to adjust the temperature at various times each day based on your personal needs. The Trane ComfortLink II, for example, allows you to customize different programming for all seven days of the week. It, like many other models, also has built-in functions that let you create automations that can adjust your home’s temperature based upon whether someone is home (geofencing) or alert you when your home reaches a temp that is too hot or too cold.
- Conserving energy. Many systems with movement sensors will automatically switch to an eco-friendly setting whenever you leave home, even if it’s just to run errands. And when you’re away for vacation, you can turn your system off and then restart it a few hours before you return home, all from your phone.
There’s an App for That: Trane Smart Thermostats Deliver
While there are a number of smart thermostats on the market, only the Trane Home App is a Good Housekeeping 2022 Home Renovation Award winner. It allows users to connect their smart comfort system and adjust the temperature, set their schedule, and monitor their HVAC usage from anywhere.
“Trane’s smart thermostats, including the ComfortLink line, do everything well — easy-to-use interface, clear prompts, and intuitive graphics,” says DiClerico. He also notes that they are compatible with virtual assistants for seamless voice control, too.
Through the app, a homeowner grants permission for a certified Trane dealer to monitor and assess major HVAC systems in the home, like a furnace or heat pump. In the event of an issue — say, an overworking furnace motor — the dealer can reach out to the homeowner, explain the problem, and schedule a technician to make the repair. Often the dealer can detect a problem before a system becomes inoperable and even pinpoint what parts might be needed for the repair.
From a homeowner point of view, the Trane Home App, when paired with a Trane smart thermostat, is a high-tech preventative maintenance solution that delivers peace of mind, in part because it goes a long way toward avoiding major failures of expensive heating and cooling equipment. Couple that with cost savings, energy conservation, and convenience at your fingertips, and it’s easy to see why smart thermostats are a smart investment.
