If our television adverts are to be believed it would seem the whole world has suddenly become smart. We have smartphones, smart cars, smart motorways and recent innovations allow us to smartly control aspects of our homes.
All this, of course, is to make our living space smart. Many may know you can control your lighting and your television through your smartphone. But did you know you can control your heating too?
Smart heating thermostats and meters allow us to play a wider role in the management of our heating. Not only is this far simpler than traditional thermostats it can save money too. The fact that it can all be done from your smartphone, on the way home from work for example, means that you can go home to a suitably warm home.
Think then of those times when plans change. Traditionally it would mean your heating is playing to an empty room wasting energy and money. Smart heating, however, means you can switch on and off at your leisure.
Not only that but also heating can be proportioned throughout the home all on your phone. No longer would you need to manually alter thermostats in each room.
Smart also means intelligent. So smart heating can predict usage and recommend the most cost effective settings. Smart heating can also change according to the weather. How often has the weather changed mid way through the day catching you out with your heating? Smart heating solves that problem.
You have two choices with installation. Do it yourself or get a registered engineer in. It may feel daunting but a competent DIYer could manage self installation. Most heating systems can be made smart. However if you feel it is too much to do yourself then companies such as Worcester and Hive provide installation too, obviously at a cost. Prices range from around £250 to as much as £1300 depending on how many units need installing.
This very much depends how much you value your time and whether you think the cost of installation is worth the investment. However recent statistics posted on websites such as Tado and Netamo suggest savings between 31% and 37% can be made. If these figures are to be believed it is possible to make your investment back within a few years.
But it is not just about cost. Smart heating makes your life easier and more manageable. Plus there is the peace of mind it can give, in the home and in doing your bit for the environment.