7 Compelling Reasons to Buy a Smart Thermostat With Voice Control This Year

Are you looking for an easy way to improve your home‘s comfort and efficiency? Upgrading to a state-of-the-art smart thermostat controlled by voice commands provides significant benefits that make the investment worthwhile for most households.

In this comprehensive guide, we will be exploring the following key reasons you should consider installing a voice-enabled smart thermostat model in 2023:

Overview of Key Benefits

Here is a high-level overview of the value you can expect by installing an advanced voice-controlled thermostat:

• Optimized Temperature Control – Enjoy maximized comfort by customizing schedules and modes for different needs all by simple voice commands like "Alexa, I‘m feeling cold"
• Reduce HVAC Energy Bills by 10-15% – Smart algorithms lower usage during vacant times and seasons, paying for themselves in 18-24 months
• Easy Smart Home Integration – Seamless connectivity with Alexa, Google Home, Siri for unified scenes like "Movie Night mode" with lighting and AV components
• Automatic Location-Based Adjustments – Specialized geofencing shifts set temperatures lower when occupants leave to further conserve energy
• Intuitive Mobile Apps & Touchscreens – Check runtime analytics, change settings, override voice commands manually from intuitive interfaces
• Multi-Zone Precision Comfort​ – Extra remote sensors in each room provide accurate whole home comfort by detecting individual zone demands

Next, let‘s do a deeper dive into the data and real-world examples supporting each of these key reasons to upgrade.

1. Adjust Temps from Anywhere by Voice

Unlike conventional programmable thermostats confined to manual scheduling through rigid touchpad controls, smart thermostat models connected to home WiFi unlock a new level of convenience and accessibility. With certified compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Home voice assistants, users can now change target thermostat temperatures from anywhere in the home through simple verbal commands.

For example, if you feel too warm in bed, rather than getting up and walking to the thermostat panel, just say:

• "Alexa, lower temperature to 68 degrees"
• "Hey Google, increase thermostat 2 degrees"

This hands-free convenience for making quick, precision adjustments based on immediate needs from any room provides a simpler way to manage comfort.

Popular options like the Nest Learning Thermostat, Emerson Sensi Touch, and ecobee SmartThermostat all include built-in microphones that listen for occupant vocal requests. Then, cloud-connected AI and internet communications adjust HVAC systems appropriately within seconds.

2. Slash HVAC Energy Usage By 10-15%

In addition to enhancing control convenience, smart thermostats generate significant long term cost savings by optimizing energy efficiency more effectively than manual programming alone.

Through connected algorithms that incorporate historical runtimes, weather forecasts, and occupancy patterns, the latest models provide predictive functionality that adapts heating/cooling cycles to ideal levels. Instead of set it and forget it Guesswork that often results in over-conditioning empty spaces or underserving occupied needs.

For example, the Bosch Climate 5000 Series Smart Thermostat utilizes a built-in humidity sensor to adjust cooling run times to prevent over drying indoor air. This helps maintain healthy moisture levels for occupants while avoiding excessive runtimes.

According to the EPA, their testing has shown properly utilized smart thermostats reduce average residential energy usage by:

• Heating: 8-15% less energy consumed per year
• Cooling: 15-23% less electricity demanded annually

For the typical US household spending roughly $2,300 per year on HVAC costs, upgrading to a voice-controlled smart thermostat can provide power bill savings of $200 or more each year.

Payback Period Analysis

With average ownership payback through lowered power bills of just 12-22 months, smart thermostat pricing of $100-$250 provides a great return on investment.

3. Seamless Integration with Other Smart Devices

Smart thermostats have become a backbone component within modern connected homes. Their capabilities to directly integrate with smart home platforms like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and SmartThings unlocks unified automation across groups of devices.

For example, you can group Nest thermostats with Philips Hue lights, Sonos speakers and Samsung TVs. Then using Alexa voice controls like, "Alexa, movie time", the thermostat shifts to comfort setting, while lights dim, music plays and TV powers on automatically as part of a custom scene.

This level of tight integration goes beyond standalone programming through a proprietary app only. With standards like Works with Nest allowing the sharing of status and control APIs across brands, smart thermostats interlink environments.

So upgrading heating and cooling management can serve as a catalyst to upgrade other areas of your home in kind.

4. Location-Based Heating & Cooling Automation

One innovative smart thermostat capability leveraging connectivity is something known as "geofencing" automation. This uses the location of household occupant smartphones to trigger custom rules.

For example, when residents leave the predefined home perimeter, the thermostat shifts into an Eco mode suspending heating/cooling during vacancies to conserve energy. Once a family member GPS signal returns within home boundaries, normal comfort schedules resume.

Occupancy detection through your phone allows hands-free adjustments without having to manually change modes constantly as you come and go. Which both maximizes efficiency and maintains desired temperatures based on real-time needs.

Top rated models like the Emerson Sensi Touch, Honeywell Home T9, Lux Kono Smart thermostats all provide geofencing functions. Letting you set up custom "Arriving home" and "Leaving home" modes tailored to your schedule and proximity boundaries.

5. Robust Mobile Apps & Touchscreen Controls

A smart home hub like a Wi-Fi connected thermostat controlled by voice and activated through smart speaker requests obviously provides the most convenient comfort adjustments on the fly. However, all models also include:

• Vibrant touchscreen displays for manual tweaks
• Cloud-synced mobile apps for android and iOS devices

These allow greater insight and customization capabilities than legacy manual dial units. Mobile dashboards connect to the home network to facilitate monitoring energy usage, adjusting schedules/modes, running system tests and overriding any automatic changes.

So whether you want to tweak the weekday morning heating ramp up time or lower A/C runtimes overnight through vacation mode, robust apps and touchpads provide customizable control.

6. Advanced Zoning Comfort & Precision

Standard thermostats rely on a single integrated thermal sensor to gauge just one spot‘s temperature. Then heating/cooling runs full blast without factoring different room conditions.

But zoning control has revolutionized smart thermostat capabilities. Additional remote sensors can now be placed in occupied rooms away from the central unit location for monitoring zone comfort needs and occupancy.

Data from these dispersed monitoring points provides a richer picture for automated algorithms to base heating/cooling stages on for balanced building-wide comfort. Rather than localizing cool air right under the thermostat itself, integrated zone sensors tell the system where to direct required conditioning.

Top rated zoned models from ecobee, Honeywell Home, Lux allow easy scalability through adding extra wired or wireless sensors. Enabling the right temperature in the rooms you actually occupy.

7. Simplified DIY Installation

While smart thermostats contain sophisticated internals leveraging algorithms, power efficient processors, and WiFi/app connectivity, their physical install remains simple with modular designs quick swapping out older units.

Handy compatibility checking tools like Honeywell Home‘s Thermostat Finder allow you to input details on your existing HVAC system for filtered matchmaking. Most conventional setups including single/multi stage heat pumps, radiant floor heating, forced air, etc pair with smart replacements like Nest, Emerson, Ecobee no problem during self-installs.

The most important aspect is properly labeling and connecting matching wire terminals between old and new. But wire count is typically labeled, low voltage power is all that‘s carried, and apps provide guidance. So with proper power off safety precautions and maybe 30 minutes, you can upgrade to smart comfort and efficiency.

Smart Thermostat Installation Checklist

Here is a quick 5 step checklist covering the key tasks for hassle-free smart thermostat upgrades:

✅ Know your HVAC system type – heat pump, gas, electric, boiler, etc.
✅ Shut off breaker supplying thermostat wires
✅ Take photos of wire terminal labels if not clearly marked
✅ Carefully connect matching wire terminals between old and new thermostat
✅ Turn breaker back on once mounting and terminal screws are tightened

And just like that, start enjoying superior comfort control and energy savings!

Now let‘s compare some of the top smart thermostat options currently available on the market across pricing tiers.

Best Smart Thermostats With Voice Control

I‘ve highlighted the current top rated smart thermostat recommendations, but many more options exist. Be sure to check for rebates from local energy providers as incentives can discount upgrades even further.

Answers to Common Smart Thermostat Questions

Here I‘ll tackle some frequently asked questions surrounding smart thermostat capabilities and what models could work best:

Do you need a C-Wire?

• A C or "common" wire provides consistent power to smart thermostats. Models like Emerson Sensi workaround no C-wire. But for reliable WiFi and automation, upgrading wiring for continuous 24V power aids performance.

How many zones does a single thermostat control?

• By itself, 1 zone. But add remote sensors to rooms below, above, etc and zoning capabilities grow. Popular collections like the ecobee SmartSensor kit extend coverage for multi-room/floor monitoring.

What happens if WiFi goes down?

• Voice controls and app connectivity suspend. But the device still performs scheduling like a standard programmable thermostat until network access restores for smart functions.

Can Google and Alexa work together?

• Within the same ecosystem like all Nest Google products, yes. But Amazon Alexa cannot natively communicate operational directives to Google Assistant devices. So choose a singular platform.

Which smart speaker for access?

• Alexa devices like Echo Dots/Shows provide the most direct integration for hands-free voice control. Google Nest works best with Google Home ecosystem components. Owned by Amazon, an Echo Flex or Dot works great.

Conclusion

Upgrading to a modern smart thermostat controlled by Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri voice delivers homeowners substantial comfort, convenience and efficiency benefits well beyond programmable predecessors. Hassle-free installation, multi-zone precision through sensor additions, 10-15% power savings, and device interconnectivity add up to a sound investment paying dividends within two years for most. Comparing top models like the Nest Learning, Emerson Sensi Touch, Honeywell Home T9 thermostats showcases reliable performance across needs and budgets. And with expanded smart home capabilities thanks to integration with lighting, doorbells, security systems and entertainment, they provide a foundation to build out an even greater connected living experience over time.