Now I don’t really talk about gadgets a lot in this column, but here’s a new and quirky little a gadget I’ve just learned about – a self-programmable thermostat. Each time you or a member of your family adjusts the ring on this device it remembers your habits and programs itself to adjust temperatures as you prefer them. The Nest thermostat can when you are away from home, and tell you how long it will take to make your home a desired temperature. You can also control it from your mobile device or computer.
The creators of the device wanted to design something that would learn from our habits in order to help adjust temperatures whenever we are asleep or away from home, and especially, help us save energy. According to the Nest’s website, the EPA states that a properly programmed thermostat can help cut as much as 20% off our air conditioning bill, but properly programming a thermostat isn’t always easy.
The device can even tell if you have left your house, and after a period of time will automatically adjust itself to stop heating or cooling an empty home. It also has a cool feature that allows it to use its Wi-Fi connection to check on forecasted weather conditions so it can see how the outdoor temperatures will affect your energy needs.
It’s also easy to install, easy to use and looks really cool.
As always, thanks for reading,
Bryan
Bryan Hayes, along with his brother Todd, is a co-owner of a Sanibel Air Conditioning company on Sanibel, FL. They also own and operate an island-based electrical service company Sanctuary Island Electric, Inc. Bryan can be reached at Bryan@Sanibelair.com
