When you want to keep your home or business environment comfortable, your HVAC system is your best friend. An HVAC system is a series of different units and equipment working together to control your home’s temperature and other air-related conditions. This includes air conditioners, heaters, heat pumps, air ducts, vents, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, a thermostat, and more.
The thermostat is the control center of your HVAC system. When you want the conditions in your home to change, you need to visit your thermostat and adjust the settings. However, if you install a system with home automation capabilities, you can make this task easy and convenient.
Benefits of Controlling Your HVAC System With a Smartphone
There are four main benefits to controlling your HVAC system with your smartphone. These are convenience, energy savings, safety, and control.
Convenience
When you control your HVAC system through your smart device, you don’t have to worry about constantly getting up or being home to adjust your thermostat settings. You can conveniently adjust the settings in your home anytime you want, from wherever you are as long as you are connected to Wi-Fi.
Energy Savings and Longer Life for Your HVAC System
When you have a more convenient way to change the air conditions in your home, you have more power to make choices that will save energy in the long run. You can turn the temperature back while no one is occupying your household. This will save energy and can help lower your utility bills. Your HVAC system may also end up lasting longer because it will not experience wear and tear at the same rate.
Peace of Mind and Safety
Many Smart HVAC systems monitor a variety of aspects that can help protect you and your loved ones. HVAC system notices any sort of problem it can alert you through your Smart device. This can include functional issues that have the potential to turn into a fire or issues with the air quality in your home.
Control
Many Smart HVAC systems that work with your phone can also provide you with data reading about how your system is performing. By viewing and analyzing the data, you can make better choices when it comes to using and caring for your HVAC system.
Setting Up Your HVAC System for Smartphone Control
When it comes to setting up your HVAC system for Smart device control, there are three main steps to take.
Check for Compatibility with Your HVAC System
Before you begin to do anything, you will first need to make sure that your HVAC system is compatible with smart devices. This means that it can connect to your Wi-Fi and has the ability to communicate with your device. You can usually determine this by checking the HVAC manufacturer’s website or calling their customer service line. Additionally, a professional, HVAC contractor like B&L Ott may also be able to assist you.
Installing a Smart Thermostat
The next step is to install a smart thermostat. The thermostat is the control center for your HVAC system. It is where you go to change the temperature, fan speed, which system is running, and other conditions. It is also the main part of your HVAC system that will communicate with your phone or smart device.If you want to ensure that you’re smart thermostat is installed properly so that you don’t experience issues, schedule an installation with a professional HVAC contractor like B&L Ott. Using a professional will also help ensure your safety as installing a thermostat involves working with electricity. If you do decide to install the thermostat yourself be absolutely certain to turn the correct breaker or breakers off while working with the wires attached to your thermostat. Turn off every breaker that connects to your HVAC systems or turn every breaker off if you want to be safe. Next, you can move on to the wires. You may find it helpful to take a photo of how your old thermostat is wired to help ensure that your new thermostat is installed properly. It is essential that the wires are hooked up to the correct terminals so that your thermostat will function properly. Once the new thermostat is properly wired, the faceplate can be installed over top. Once this step is complete, the breakers can be turned back on to test if the thermostat has power. If it does not, you will need to troubleshoot. If it does, you can move on to connecting the thermostat to your home’s Wi-Fi network.
Connecting to Your Home’s Wi-Fi Network
Different Smart HVAC systems may work a little bit differently when it comes to connecting to your home’s Wi-Fi network. Your system will likely come with directions for your specific device. However, generally speaking, there are just a few quick steps to follow. The first is to download the app that works with your Smart thermostat. You may need to register and create an account. Once you are on the main screen of the app you will need to figure out how to add a device. Typically, there will be something like a plus sign or a button that says add a device. Follow any in-app directions to continue connecting your HVAC system to the Wi-Fi network. Once your system is registered you can begin adjusting settings to your liking. There will likely be a button with the name of your device or a picture of it that you can click to adjust said settings and view data about that specific device.
Controlling Your HVAC System with a Smartphone
There are multiple ways you can use your Smart device to control your HVAC system.
Changing the Temperature Remotely
One of the main aspects you can control with your smart device is the temperature. There will likely be an icon on your app that looks like a thermometer or it says temperature. By entering this section of the app you will be able to change air conditions such as temperature, humidity, fan speed, and what system is running. The perk of this feature is that you can do so from anywhere as long as you are connected to Wi-Fi. This means that you can change conditions while you are at work, taking your children to practice, or while you are away on vacation.
Scheduling Temperature Changes in Advance
If your family keeps a rather regular schedule you can even automate your temperature changes. For instance, If you are at work during the day and your children are at school, you can turn the temperature back during those hours to save energy. Then you can schedule a temperature change that is more comfortable setting right before the first person arrives home. This way, you don’t have to remember to adjust the settings every day. You can free up some of your time and mind for more important endeavors.
Monitoring Energy Usage
A smart HVAC system uses meters to monitor the amount of fuel your HVAC system is using and when. It then sends this information to your phone so that you can see and analyze the data. With this information, you can make smarter choices about when and how you use your HVAC system. You can gauge how much your utility bills will be and even lower them by seeing where you can change your HVAC usage.
Receiving Alerts and Notifications
In addition to energy monitoring, your smart HVAC system can also notify you when there is something wrong with your system. If a sensor notices that something comes loose or that your HVAC system is using more fuel than normal, it will send a message to your smart device so that you can check it out and get it repaired by B&L Ott if necessary. This helps you catch small easy fixes before they turn into major expensive problems. It can also help extend the life expectancy of your units.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Smartphone Control
When you invest in a Smart HVAC system, you want to get the most out of your system so that your investment pays off. There are multiple ways to accomplish this.
Creating a Schedule That Works for Your Lifestyle
When it comes to home automation the goal is to set up your home in a way that works for you and your schedule. This includes HVAC systems. If you want to get the most out of your system be sure to take the time and create a schedule for your system to follow on a regular basis. Sit down and figure out what time of the day you are usually at home and what time you are away so that you can conserve energy. Use your thermostat or smart device to create a schedule and adjust it as necessary or create multiple schedules to use at different times. Taking a half hour to program a schedule can save you even more time and energy later on.
Using Geofencing to Automatically Adjust the Temperature When You’re Away or at Home
If you don’t keep a fairly regular schedule geofencing can be another useful feature. Geofencing involves an invisible line that triggers when your smart device registers that you get near your home. When your thermostat registers that you are close to home, it can alert your HVAC system to start running so that your home Will be at a more comfortable temperature when you return.
Considering Additional Smart Home Devices to Integrate with Your HVAC System
Yet another way to get the most out of a smart HVAC system is to integrate even more smart devices. Some common options include home zoning systems, smart vents, humidifiers, air purifiers, and more. When all of this HVAC equipment is capable of connecting to Wi-Fi and communicating with each other, you can create a comfortable home with more convenience than ever.
Upgrade Your Home and Life with an HVAC with Works with Your Smartphone!
Learning to control your HVAC system with your Smart device can be quick and easy, especially when you have help from professionals at B&L Ott in Reading, PA. We can help you choose the right system and install it for you, and help guide you in how to use it. Then you can enjoy more control and convenience over the air in your home. You can optimize how your home runs and save energy and money too. All it takes to get started is a quick call to B&L Ott. You can call us at 610-894-7476.