Trying to keep your home warm and cosy without it costing a fortune is at the front of everyone’s minds at the moment.
With the current energy crisis raising bills by up to 54% in April, more and more people are trying to avoid turning their thermostat up in favour of other methods of keeping warm.
However, sometimes there’s no avoiding it, but what if there was a smarter way of running your heating that would potentially save you money, and still keep your house warm?
Your thermostat is responsible for around 60% of your energy usage, so it makes sense to use it as carefully as possible.
Long gone are the days where Google performs solely as a search engine, it now has introduced a range of thermostats that work to help you heat your home the smarter way.
There are several different versions, each of which functions at a different level of ‘smart’, so you can decide how much or little control you want.
How does it work?
The more basic smart thermometer, such as the Google Nest Themostat E, can be used via the Google Home or the Nest app, and requires minimal set up.
Of course you will need to have a Google Home or Nest device - you can pick one up for £49 at Currys or Argos.
It uses the app to track your movements, so it knows when you leave the house and automatically turns your heating off for you to avoid wasting money heating an empty house.
You can also turn it on via the app so your house is lovely and warm when you get home.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Google Nest Learning 3rd Generation Thermostat , which is the very definition of ‘smart’.
As well as tracking when you leave the house, it also learns what temperature you like your home at and corrects its temperature accordingly.
It also detects exactly how your home heats up, where the draughty spots are, and alters the way your home heats up accordingly, and only uses the energy it needs, saving you money.
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The Learning thermostat can also be used on your hot water, which lets you adjust how much you’re using from the Nest app, as well as turn it off when you’re on holiday to save money.
The best part is that the thermostat will also show you how much energy you’re using each day, as well as identifying patterns in your usage.
So if you tend to use more on a Sunday night than any other time of the week, or are using more than necessary during the day, it’ll tell you, and will even offer you tips on how to cut back.
How do you set it up?
The Google Nest Themostat E is straightforward to install yourself.
You just need to download the Nest App, set it up and scan the code on the bottom of your thermostat.
It will then show you a wiring diagram and exactly where you need to plug in each wire to set it up.
As the Google Nest Learning 3rd Generation Thermostat is a little more complicated, it’s recommended that you use a qualified electrician or heating engineer to install it.
You can get a quote and find a useful list of local experts to install yours for you via this link, or call the number on the packaging when it arrives to arrange getting it set up.
Google does recommend getting a professional to do the wiring and installation of it on your boiler, as it can be dangerous to try it yourself.
Once it’s connected to your boiler, however, all you need to do is find somewhere for your thermostat to live.
It can be wall mounted or kept in a stand, and it can be used either wirelessly, or wired in place of your old thermostat.
If you choose to use it wirelessly, it should be near to a power source as it requires USB charging.
You will also need a wifi connection to enable it to communicate with both your phone and the boiler, but don’t worry - it continues to work even if your internet goes down.
Once it’s paired with your app, over the next week it will start to learn how your home heats up and cools down, and adjust it’s settings accordingly.
You can of course manually adjust and change your thermostat if you want.
How will it save money?
Apart from correcting human errors, like going out and forgetting to turn your heating off, it can help you understand how you use your energy better, particularly with the Learning thermostat.
By adjusting the temperatures throughout your home according to what needs more or less heat, you’re already using your heating more effectively and saving yourself some money.
This model also has a green leaf symbol on it’s display when you’re using the most energy efficient form of heating.
You will also receive regular emails breaking down exactly how you’re using energy, and offering suggestions on how you could make it more cost effective or efficient.
If your boiler also allows it to operate your hot water system, you’ll also be able to use your hot water more efficiently, as it will control the tank and how much is needed to heat up.
The cost of the thermostat varies depending on which model you’re looking at, however you can often find some good deals.
Amazon is currently offering 10% off the Google Nest Learning Thermostat 3rd Generation , meaning you can get it for just £178.99.
