SMART heating controls are thermostatic devices fitted to your existing system that can be controlled via a mobile app on your smartphone or tablet or by using the smart speakers in your home, such as Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant. They allow you to change your heating schedule and timings room by room or even minute by minute – from wherever you are, whether slouched on the sofa watching TV, out shopping with the family or away on holiday.
You can set your smart thermostat to ‘learn’ your routines so that it knows when you are likely to start getting up in the morning, wind down for bed at night and if you have a regular bath or shower time. This will enable your heating to turn itself On and Off at the right times to keep your house at a comfortable temperature. This feature is heavily weighted in CR’s product ratings and we recommend you consider one with this capability if possible.
Many smart heating controls can also be switched On or Off manually from the device itself (depending on model) or by voice command with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple’s Siri. This enables you to switch the heating On or Off at your convenience without having to find your phone, or is handy if your internet connection has failed.
Most smart controls can monitor the power usage of individual radiators or panel heaters that you may have in your home. This enables you to make savings by turning them On during the overnight off-peak period where electricity is cheaper and turning them Off during peak periods when it is most expensive.
Room by room temperature control is a common feature on smart thermostats, giving you the flexibility to turn the heating up in rooms that you are using more often and reducing the heating in unused spaces such as the loft or garage. Some smart controls can also monitor and’save’ different characteristics of your home such as the temperature at which you like to sleep or the best setting for watching a movie on the sofa in front of the TV – all at the touch of a button.
Some smart controls can be integrated with a smart meter which sends automatic meter readings to your energy supplier. This allows you to see how much energy you are using in real time and can help to identify where the largest energy saving opportunities may be.
A few smart heating systems can also detect drafts and open windows which can be a major source of wasted heat and some can automatically turn off your heating if they think you’ve forgotten to turn it Off when you’ve closed the door or gone out for a short while. These are great features to have and can really save you a lot of money on your electricity bills.