Smart thermostats: what are they, how much do they cost, and how much can you save?
Smart thermostats offer both cost savings and increased comfort. They are known as "smart" because they can automatically regulate the temperature, for example when leaving the house or ventilating. On average, this can save about 135 euros per year in a single-family home and avoid about 450 kg of CO2.
Compared to conventional thermostats, smart thermostats offer many advantages: They can automatically lower the temperature when it is not necessary and allow for remote control or programming for specific time periods. The number of available functions varies depending on the model. The use of such a device can save about 10% on average heating costs. The purchase of a smart thermostat can quickly pay for itself while helping to protect the climate.
Smart Thermostats: Technology and Functionality
When ventilating or leaving the house, it is important to turn down the thermostats to save energy, money, and the environment. Smart thermostats can automate this process and adjust the temperature when they detect that the house is being ventilated or when the occupants leave. Some models use sensors that are attached to windows and doors to detect the temperature drop, while others have manual switches or automatic solutions that use location data to lower the temperature when nobody is home and heat it up again when someone returns. The choice of the suitable smart thermostat depends on individual needs, such as a regular daily routine or irregular working hours.
The manual control of heating through analog thermostats on radiators is outdated. More and more people are opting for so-called smart heating. In this case, the intelligent heating is integrated into the home Wi-Fi and can be controlled via an app or via remote control from anywhere. This allows you to turn the heating on or off or adjust the temperature from your smartphone or tablet while on the go. In addition, smart heating helps to save energy costs by incorporating data such as house structure, the habits of the occupants, and local weather into the heating control. This automation can save you money without having to give up a comfortable room temperature. In this process, analog thermostats on radiators are replaced by intelligent thermostats, which can not only be mounted on the wall but also allow for the conversion of an analog underfloor heating into a smart underfloor heating.
Quickly amortized: How much money can smart thermostats save?
Are you also someone who likes to turn up the heating in the evening to get comfortable on the couch, but then falls into bed exhausted after a TV marathon and forgets to turn down the radiators? Then you probably know the problem that a continuously running heating system wastes a lot of energy and therefore your money.
One solution to this problem are intelligent heating thermostats. With these, you can set when each radiator should heat up. This makes your heating system smart. When you go to bed at your usual bedtime, the radiator in the living room is automatically turned down without you having to worry about it. At the same time, your smart thermostat in the bedroom has already ensured that the correct sleeping temperature is reached. By using smart thermostats strategically, heating costs can be reduced by a noticeable 5 to 15 percent, as heating only takes place where it is currently necessary, preventing any heat loss.
Depending on the purchase price and features, smart thermostats can amortize faster or slower. In a typical single-family home with a living space of 110 m² and a central heating system using natural gas, the use of smart thermostats can save about 135 euros in heating costs annually, while reducing CO2 emissions by 450 kg.
The purchase of 12 simple smart thermostats would incur one-time costs of around 204 euros, which corresponds to a price of 17 euros each. This investment is amortized within 1.35 years through the saved heating costs.
For the purchase of 12 particularly smart thermostats, one would have to plan for one-time costs of 624 euros, which corresponds to a price of 52 euros each. In this case, the investment would only be amortized after 4.3 years through the saved heating costs.
In summary, smart heating thermostats offer a range of benefits, including:
- Individual heating profiles: Custom heating profiles can be set up for each room and time of day, ensuring that the bathroom is warm in the morning, for example.
- Window and door sensors: Many providers offer digital thermostats as starter sets, which include a window sensor that automatically detects when a window is open and adjusts the heating accordingly.
- Remote control via smartphone: The ability to control the heating from anywhere using an app is a significant advantage.
- Weather-based control: Some systems are now linked to weather data, allowing them to regulate heating in response to unexpected sunshine and conserve energy. The apartment will be kept warm and cozy during sudden cold snaps.
How do digital thermostats for radiator control work?
Your smart radiator thermostats are connected to a central control unit, the hub or gateway, via a wireless connection, which in turn is connected to your home network via WLAN. This allows you to easily control your heating from anywhere using an app. The commands from the app are sent to the hub via WLAN, which then forwards them to your thermostats via radio. That's why smart thermostats are also called WLAN thermostats.
In practice, this means that the smart thermostats, for example, preheat the bathroom and kitchen on weekdays before you get up. When the alarm clock rings and you stumble towards the shower, at least the bathroom is already at operating temperature. While brushing your teeth, you can then use Alexa to turn up the heating in the kitchen, for example. When you leave your apartment after breakfast, the heating automatically turns off.
The same works in reverse when you return home: On the way home, the app sends a push notification asking if you'll be home soon. Just before you arrive, the current weather data and the position of the sun are checked, and the digital heating controller adjusts the room temperature accordingly. In the evening, the intelligent heating system automatically turns off when you give the command to Alexa. And if you want to sleep a little longer on the weekend and don't need the heating to come on until later, the thermostat will recognize that as well.
What aspects should I consider when buying smart thermostats?
When purchasing a smart radiator thermostat, there are several things to consider as each model has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, some models have easy installation but are difficult to program, while others offer the opposite. Make sure that the thermostat can be set up easily and quickly, and that the accompanying app or program for adjustment is user-friendly. Price is also an important factor as actual savings on heating costs depend on the energy efficiency of your home.
Generally, there are smart radiator thermostats available for every budget, but it is important to choose the model that meets your requirements and fits your budget. Almost all thermostats fit on all radiator valves, but if not, there are usually adapters that can be attached between the valve and thermostat.