Smart thermostats can help take the stress out of your energy bills

With the cost of living rising dramatically, especially with the current rise in fuel bills, more people than ever feel under a great deal of financial strain, and this is leading to an explosion of stress and mental health issues. The importance of looking after your mental health cannot be undervalued or underestimated and there are a lot of things we can do to promote a state of calm, from yoga to meditation and breathing exercises. However, helping to resolve the cause of the issue is an imperative and if the cost of heating your home is bothering you, let’s look at how smart thermostats can help take the stress out of your energy bills.

As well as reducing financial stress, if you use smart thermostats to reduce energy usage that is also good for the environment, so a real double whammy. We all need to do what we can to reduce our environmental footprint.

Smart thermostats are not the same as smart meters!

First, let’s clarify that smart thermostats are not the same as smart meters. The latter records information relating to the consumption of energy and are normally provided by your energy provider and are free of charge.

There is a cost to purchase smart thermostats but used properly they should save you money and reduce stress by easing the pain of those energy bills. Money Saving Expert provides excellent advice on the costs and options for smart thermostats.

Understanding what smart thermostats are and how they operate

Smart thermostats are one of the newest innovations on the market when it comes to controlling your heating system. You can manage your heating system effectively using Wi-Fi on any device, with most people using their smartphones. This means you can simply switch your heating on and off using your smartphone, as well as being able to amend the temperature: so much easier than most boiler controls!

No matter whether you are out with your friends or you are lying in bed and want to turn the heating on, you can do so. You can make the most of a whole host of other features as well, depending on the thermostat you choose. Some examples include the following:

• Feedback on your heating patterns
• Safety and holiday modes so your pipes are protected when you are not there
• Multi-room control
• Draught detection
• Hot water control
• Geofencing for tracking whenever you leave and return home

How can a smart thermostat take the stress out of your energy bills?

As we have already mentioned, smart thermostats do not automatically reduce your energy bills; it is how you use them that makes the difference. Let’s look at how you can maximise the benefits.

1. Smart thermostats track your energy usage: You will have full clarity regarding your heating system and the amount of energy you are using, enabling you to adapt your heating patterns so that you can keep your energy bills as low as possible. Understanding how those costs are building up and what steps you can take to make a difference is a great starting point. will get interesting analytics about your usage, which means you can keep track of your energy use and all your associated expenses. This means that it is a lot easier to manage your heating system and you can be sure that there will not be any nasty surprises later down the line.

2. Smart thermostats make it easier for you to control your heating: Next, we need to consider just how easy it is to control your heating if you have a smart thermostat in place. This means that you can simply switch your heating on or off with the touch of a button – it is very easy tech to use! But the greatest benefit is you can control your heating remotely.

If you are going out for the day, or just a couple of hours, and suddenly realise you have left your heating on, with a click on your mobile phone you’ll be able to immediately switch your heating off – and switch it back on again so your house is warm when you return.

Importantly. most smart thermostats offer multi-room or multi-zone control so you can heat different areas independently.

This element is particularly important for families that have a varied routine. If you have a set routine and leave your house and return at the same time every day, this will certainly reduce the benefit of having a smart thermostat although you would need to purchase additional smart thermostatic radiator valves.

3. Have peace of mind when you are on holiday: Many people like to holiday in warmer climes during the winter months but switching your heating off totally might leave your home vulnerable if the temperature drops dramatically.  But this isn’t a problem if you have a smart thermostat. Set the minimum temperature levels you would like to maintain on the system, and you’ll get an alert if it falls below that level. With a click, from virtually anywhere in the world providing you have a WIFI signal, you will be able to put the heating on to keep your home safe. Another potential stress area eliminated!

4. Smart thermostats work with most boilers: Smart meters work with most boilers, although not all, but if the system can be controlled by a standard thermostat or programmer, you should be fine. This includes communal systems too providing people have individual thermostats, but they rarely work with storage heaters or heat pumps. Of course, if you are thinking about getting a new boiler, always ask for a smart thermostat to be included in the new boiler quote too, as you can get some great deals when buying together.

We hope the above information on smart thermostats helps you to reduce your heating bills. Of course, there is an initial investment but the return on investment should be quite good although will vary according to personal circumstances and how you use the system.

But most importantly, if you are struggling to pay your energy bills you need to take immediate action otherwise the stress will only get worse. Citizens Advice provides some great information about benefits, grants, and help offered by government and energy suppliers.

And last but not least, if you are feeling stressed why not check out some of our other articles on the causes of stress and how to deal with them.