The C-Wire, or “common wire” enables the continuous flow of 24 VAC power to the thermostat. It’s a wire that (if you have one) runs all the way from your furnace to your thermostat. Questions about the C-wire are by far the biggest drivers of traffic to this site, so I’ve written this article to help you […]
The big smart thermostat manufacturers claim you can recoup the cost of a smart thermostat in as little as under 2 years. Coupled with rebates from your local utility company, that “break even” wait could be even shorter. Show me some numbers! Nest Labs actually did a study and released a white paper on their findings. It’s an […]
Back in the olden days, thermostats were simple on/off devices that didn’t need their own continuous power supply. Modern thermostats with Wi-Fi and backlit display, by contrast, need a steady supply of juice. The C wire, or “common wire” enables the continuous flow of 24 VAC power to the thermostat. Technically speaking, power flows from […]
On June 2nd, 2014 Apple announced (among other things) a new home automation platform dubbed HomeKit! HomeKit is brand new. As such, some things aren’t yet known, like how popular it will be with accessory makers or whether it will take off with homeowners. The next major event concerning HomeKit is Apple’s annual MFi summit in China this November, […]
There’s a good chance you’re reading this after getting a whopper of a heating bill. If so, the last thing you’re in the mood for is spending more money. Good news for you: some of the best ways to lower your heating bill are also the cheapest! Free Ways to Shrink Your Heating Bill Lowering your […]
This advice appears every heating and cooling season: switch to a programmable thermostat and you can save big bucks off the heating/cooling portion of your energy bill! Everyone knows that programmable thermostats save you money, right? Well, as it turns out, programmable thermostats aren’t the money-saving machines we’ve been lead to believe. Actual savings are […]
Heating and cooling account for nearly half of your home’s energy costs! A smart thermostat offers both automation and greater control over your home’s temperature and climate – control that could save you a bundle on your energy bill. But a smart thermostat’s Wi-Fi connection enables so much more than just temperature automation – there’s a whole […]
Smart thermostat manufacturers love to tout their energy-savings capabilities – but you’ve got a role to play, too. If you just installed a shiny new Nest, Honeywell Wi-Fi, or ecobee3, here are six things you should do to get big savings out of your new smart thermostat. Set your schedule: Smart thermostats aim to learn […]