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Benefits of an Automated Thermostat

Written by Kevin on . Posted in HVAC.

Many homeowners control the temperature in their homes by manually adjusting thermostats that regulate their air conditioning and heating systems. If you have an automated thermostat, you will enjoy setting temperatures for different times of a day. That means you do not have to turn any dial from the unit’s panel to adjust the temperature according to your needs. Instead, you can command your HVAC unit to turn off or on from an application on a mobile gadget.

Your automated thermostat will not only regulate the temperature in your home, but it will also show you the duration it’ll take to make the changes you requested. Furthermore, you can also keep track of how much you are spending on heating and cooling costs. Here are some of the benefits you will enjoy after switching to an automated thermostat.

1. It Lowers Your Energy Bills

One of the biggest benefits offered by automated thermostats is saving on energy costs. Energy costs continue to skyrocket in every part of the globe, and one of the best ways to combat that is to try to minimize your energy usage. However, with automated thermostats, you can precisely regulate the temperature in your home to suit your comfort.

For each degree you lower or raise your home’s temperature during winter or summer, you can save a maximum of 2% on your energy bill. For instance, you do not have to keep your heat or air conditioning system high when you are not at home. You can develop a schedule that follows the routine of your family to avoid wasting energy. You can keep the temperatures warm or cool when you are at home and ease up using power when you are away from your home.

2. It Uses High-Tech Tools and Features

Most automated thermostats come with a wide array of technological tools and functions, including Wi-Fi capability and the ability to control your smart thermostat with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Having a programmable thermostat that’s linked to your home’s network can assist you in creating a connected home that you can easily control virtually from any place, including the comfort of your favorite couch. If you are on vacation or a business trip and you realize there is an unusually cold or warm day back at home, you can easily regulate the temperature of your thermostat from your gadget.

3. It Maintains a Constant Temperature in Your Home

The other advantage of automated thermostats is their capacity to maintain the ideal constant temperature in all parts of your home. Rather than setting your HVAC system high during summer, an automated thermostat can operate at a steady level. When the weather is cold, your heat can remain constant because it follows the programmed temperature schedule you’ve set for your home. With programmable thermostats, you can avoid cold and hot spots in various parts of your home, and your family can enjoy a cozy home throughout the year.

4. It Is Easy and Quick to Adjust

A manual thermostat takes some practice and a lot of time to read through the many steps of setting temperatures for different times. You will have to go to your wall unit to make some adjustments every time you leave your house, which is a practice most people neglect in the first place. You will also have to readjust the thermostat whenever you return home, once you wake up in the morning, and when going off to bed.

Homeowners can spend less time regulating their thermostats with an automated version. Using automated thermostats can eliminate all the time that you spend adjusting your manual unit. You can set your schedule one time every season and forget about the device. That will help you focus on other important things in your home or life.

5. It Reduces Your Air Conditioner’s Wear and Tear

Without an air conditioning system, it might be almost impossible to keep your residence cold during the summer or warm during winter. However, as your HVAC ages, its efficiency will most likely decrease, making your residence less comfortable while also increasing your energy bills. The best way to optimize your air conditioner’s performance and to minimize its wear and tear over time is by installing a programmable thermostat.

An automated thermostat helps decrease your air conditioner’s typical workload, which prevents severe damage and assists in optimizing efficiency. While every air conditioner can benefit from an automated thermostat, these options are particularly beneficial for older units. If your HVAC unit is not efficient or is older, before you can get another one, you can try to help it do its job better by pairing it with an automated thermostat.

6. It Maximizes Zoned Cooling and Heating in Your Home

An automated thermostat can also help keep your home running well if you have multiple climate zones in your residence. Having different climate zones around your home can significantly increase your property’s energy efficiency. An automated thermostat allows you to customize each temperature and climate throughout your residence’s square footage using programmable controls in every zone.

7. It Allows You to Take Advantage of Different Times During the Day

The other benefit of having an automated thermostat is that it will enable you to take advantage of the temperature variations based on the season and the sun’s position as well as the different times during the day. Once the afternoon or morning sun begins to heat your residence during the summer, you can change your cooling schedule.

Similarly, during the winter season, you can minimize your heating energy and allow the sun’s warmth to take over some of your furnace’s warming duties. During cold nights in winter, you can boost the HVAC system’s heating energy to keep your home warm and comfortable.

8. It Increases the Efficiency of Your Home

Keeping your residence energy efficient is one of the major problems that every homeowner thinks about when the seasons change. An energy-efficient residence uses the available resources more effectively and does not cause a lot of wear and tear to major household systems and appliances. Your home should not contribute to adverse environmental impacts and energy wastage, and using an automated thermostat is one of the ways you can help control your waste.

Conclusion

As you can see, having an automated thermostat for your heating and cooling needs might be one of your home’s most cost-efficient investments. You can enjoy the benefit of additional energy savings that might reflect in a reduced utility bill. Apart from the money savings, an automated thermostat can assist you in maintaining the best and most comfortable environment in your interior spaces.

If you are interested in upgrading your residence with a programmable thermostat, your best solution is consulting a Beltway Air Conditioning & Heating professional in Hanover. We offer a wide array of cooling and heating services to keep your home cozy.

Our team of professionals can advise you on the best automated thermostat that will suit your needs. We also offer other services, including AC installation, AC repair, AC maintenance, heat pump installation, furnace installation, furnace repair, heat pump repair, furnace maintenance, boiler service, and heat pump maintenance. Contact us to schedule your automated thermostat installation and to learn how you can keep your residence comfortable throughout the year.

How to Ensure an HVAC Company is Reliable

Written by Kevin on . Posted in HVAC.

Whether you need a new system installed, old equipment replaced or just a seasonal tune-up, it is important that you deal with an HVAC company you can trust. Selecting a new HVAC provider can be challenging. There are often many businesses to choose from, and it can be difficult during the exploratory phase to tell whether an organization possesses the characteristics of trustworthiness, including:

  • Competence
  • Consistency
  • Dedication
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Sincerity

Seek an Established Brand

The common advice is to seek an HVAC company that has been in business at least five or even 10 years. The idea here is to avoid the fly-by-night outfits and ensure that you choose an enterprise that will be there to stand behind its work. But there are new companies out their making names for themselves and old companies that manage to stay in business despite subpar customer service.

Instead of focusing on how old an HVAC provider is, emphasize how established it is. Longevity can certainly be part of that, but consider the experience of the ownership and the roots the company has laid down within your community and the other communities it serves.

Also, consider the business’s affiliations not just locally but within the HVAC industry at large. Local affiliations can include the Chamber of Commerce as well as business and trade associations relevant to your city and state. Manufacturer affiliations are quite informative as well.

If an HVAC company is a Lennox Dealer, for instance, then you know those technicians are competent since they have to meet certain training thresholds in order for a company to be recognized as such. Also, if an HVAC provider is a Lennox Premier Dealer, then you know that the dedication to customer service is such that Lennox is willing to vouch for and promote that business.

Be Aware of Regional Expectations

HVAC companies will vary from state to state and city to city and even county to county. Some of these differences are due to the regional needs of the homeowners those businesses serve. A homeowner in the Northeast, for instance, has heating and cooling concerns that are quite different than someone in the Southeast.

You may also want to contact your local Chamber of Commerce in order to identify the requirements and guidelines for local businesses in general and local HVAC providers in particular. You should know how much insurance is legally mandated and how much is recommended as well as which licenses and certifications are required and advised.

Request Insurance Details

Be direct in asking about insurance. A company that is sincere and values integrity will be forthright in disclosing amounts as well as showing you liability insurance forms, workers’ compensation documents, and other related paperwork.

Determine the scope of the coverage. You want to ensure that in addition to the company itself, all employees and subcontractors are insured. It is very important that workers’ compensation insurance covers injuries incurred on the job. Without that protection, the onus is likely to fall to your home insurance policy.

Ask About Licensing and Certification

In Maryland, HVAC contractors require an HVACR license and must present it to you upon request, and through the Maryland Department of Labor website, you can look up a license, check if it is valid and inspect all that it entails. An HVACR license has various tiers: apprentice, journeyman, inspector, limited, master restricted and master. Each tier has education and examination requirements and must be renewed, and the license tier dictates the insurance requirements. When hiring a company, you should expect that the owner of the business or at least the team supervisor holds a master license and that apprentices will never perform work without direct supervision.

Most well-established HVAC providers will have certifications beyond state requirements. Perhaps the most notable organization is North American Technician Excellence, which provides a wide range of HVAC-related certifications. If a company has NATE-certified technicians, you can have confidence in not just skill and training but in ongoing education and thus dependability and consistency. Many HVAC providers are certified with the EPA as well so that they can perform home energy audits and give clients confidence that equipment will be installed, repaired and maintained with energy-efficient performance in mind. Other notable trade associations include:

  • Air Conditioning Contractors of America
  • Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute
  • National Air Duct Cleaners Association
  • National Comfort Institute

Consider Reviews, Ratings and Referrals

A company’s reputation can inform you about its sincerity and all the other factors of trustworthiness. Begin this process with the Better Business Bureau. You can also check with the Maryland Department of Labor. An HVAC provider with numerous complaints is probably best avoided. A company that has earned BBB accreditation and a high rating, on the other hand, should instill you with peace of mind because you know that you will be dealing with a reputable outfit.

Request references from the company. Those references should be recent customers who have had major work performed, such as an installation. You can also find information on the internet through resources like Google My Business, Yelp, HomeAdvisor, Angie’s List and so forth. With online reviews and ratings, consider the perception as a whole rather than focusing too much on a particularly enthused or angry client. If you have neighbors, coworkers or family who have hired the company, then they, of course, can be an invaluable resource as well.

Pay Attention to the Details

This process can be involved but is worth the effort. As you progress, you may rule out certain companies before requesting a quote, and ideally, you should receive written estimates from at least three companies before finalizing your decision. Estimates are a great opportunity to interact with these companies. Professionalism is a choice, and when an HVAC provider is uniformed, courteous and well-spoken, it shows that the company is detail-oriented.

Getting three quotes gives you a clearer pricing picture. Beware of the company that underbids as much as the one that overbids. A company that underbids is more likely to cut corners and more prone to run into troubles regarding time and other resources. When considering an estimate, factor in customer care. Know going in about what kind of warranties, satisfaction guarantees, post-job support and so forth that a company provides.

A Trustworthy HVAC Company in Your Area

If you are a homeowner in Maryland, then Beltway Air Conditioning and Heating would love an opportunity to demonstrate why you can trust us. We are a locally owned and operated HVAC provider that serves Hanover and the neighboring communities. Our team is also Google Guaranteed and HomeAdvisor Screened & Approved. We offer commercial services as well as residential. Our team installs, replaces and maintains air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps, and our indoor air quality services extend to air purifiers and whole-house humidifiers. Call us today to learn more about these services and to schedule an appointment.

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