Choosing the Right Smart Thermostat for Your Home

Find out what features to look for in a smart thermostat

With new tech popping up every day, there’s no definitive answer on which smart thermostat is right for your home. But we can give you some solid questions to consider as you shop. We also want to applaud you for thinking smart. According to Energy Star, you’ll likely save at least $100 a year on your energy bill when you install a smart thermostat.

What is a Smart Thermostat?

Before smart thermostats, the hottest tech was the programmable thermostat. This type of thermostat automatically adjusts based on the schedule you set up to help you save money on energy expenses. But like all good tech, thermostats keep getting better (and smarter!)

Smart thermostats still have the energy-saving features of a traditional programmable thermostat, but take it to the next level. They use a WiFi connection to let you manage your home’s heating and cooling directly from your smartphone, tablet or desktop. And they’re so smart they can even learn your temperature preferences, know when you’re at home or away and factor in your local weather.

The payoff of getting a smart thermostat is more efficient temperature settings that can save energy dollars in the long run. Plus, you can control your smart thermostat whenever and wherever you want. Ready to shop? Read on to find out what features to look for.

3 Things to Consider When Shopping for a Smart Thermostat

Are looks important?
If you’re a tech junkie, you may prefer designs that resemble the sleek look of Apple devices to add an upscale touch to your decor. If you care more about what’s on the inside, a device with plastic casing will work just fine.

Keep in mind packaging doesn’t affect thermostat performance. Every product may look a little different, so be sure to compare functionality to find the perfect one for you.

Are you obsessed with saving energy?
You may want a device with superior data tracking and reporting, if efficiency and energy savings at home are your must-haves. Any smart thermostat is likely to save money on your energy bills. But systems that can observe your behavior, discover patterns and program themselves accordingly will add more nuances to your efficiency. Remember, buying Energy Star qualified appliances can make shopping easier when you want to be extra confident that your home’s energy efficient.

Will it work with your HVAC system?
First, determine if your heating system is a furnace or heat pump. Most models work with both, but you may have to set up the device differently depending on your system. It’s smart to know up front which type of system you have, so you can check the thermostat packaging to make sure it’s compatible.

Second, find out if you have a C-wire. The C-wire provides continuous power for your smart thermostat display and WiFi connectivity. Roughly 40% of homes have this fifth C-wire, also called common wire. If you don’t have one or aren’t sure, you should consult an HVAC technician.

Making Your Final Decision

It’s wise to shop around and evaluate your criteria when making big home purchases, especially smart home technology. You can always count on Trane connected thermostats to help make smart home automation easier. The Trane ComfortLink™ II XL1050 has a 7” large color touchscreen and can gather and display live weather data. Its multi-system controls allow you to adjust the temperature in different rooms and floors from different locations.

When you pair it with the Nexia smart home system you can adjust your home’s temperature directly from your smartphone or other web-enabled device. As a bonus, Nexia diagnostics can monitor your HVAC system in real time and alert your Trane dealer if there is a problem.

How Do Smart Thermostats Save You Money?

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How Do Smart Thermostats Save You Money?

Find out how smart tech is a smart move for cutting your energy bill

Have you been thinking about getting a smart thermostat? But not sure if you should make the switch. Not only does smart tech bring cool features to your home, it can help you save energy and money. The EPA reports that you could save roughly $180 a year by using a programmable thermostat. And it’s even easier with a smart thermostat that does all the thinking for you.

Here’s how the savings adds up. If you set your thermostat 1 or 2 degrees higher or lower than your usual number, you’ll see a 1 to 3 percent savings in your energy bill. Take it to the next level by setting it back 10 to 15 degrees for the 8 hours you’re at work and your savings jumps to nearly 10 percent.

Of course, you can adjust your settings manually with a traditional programmable thermostat. The problem is most people forget to actually do it. One study discovered that nearly 50% of households with programmable thermostats don’t set them up. Enter the smart thermostat. It never forgets, learns your habits and actually cares about saving you money.

Woman using smart thermostat

3 Ways Smart Thermostats Help You Save Money

They Learn Your Behaviors
This is what makes smart thermostats so smart. You initially program your ideal temperatures and settings. Then over time, your thermostat will observe your behavior and learn when you come and go, as well as what temperatures you prefer at certain times of the day. Your system can automatically adjust your settings to make sure your home is the perfect temp when you get home. Some thermostats even make adjustments based on humidity levels.
They Monitor Your Usage
Two-way communicating smart thermostats are always monitoring your usage, collecting data and sharing it with you 24/7. Their remote interfaces show how much energy you’re using and can even estimate your costs. From there you can make manual adjustments to your program or let your thermostat handle it. The magic lies in the data. The more you know, the easier it is to tweak your temps and see how it affects your energy bill. Smart thermostats give you the information you need to make smart decisions to improve your energy-efficiency and savings.
They Work Hard While You’re Away
Most systems will switch to an eco setting when you’re not at home, so you’ll automatically be saving energy. The thermostat does this with sensors that know when someone is at home or when everyone has left and there’s no movement in the house. They may also use geo-tracking to know when your phone is out of range of your home, signaling your system that it’s okay to go into eco mode. When you’re away longer, like for vacation, you can turn your system off and your smart tech will only turn it on if temperatures get dangerously high or low, preventing emergencies like frozen water pipes.

How Can You Save Even More?

Savings is different for each smart thermostat user. Factors like climate and your energy rates impact how much you save. Check out a few scenarios where you’re most likely to save the most.

Homes with zoned HVAC systems have more control over the temperature in different rooms and where they’re spending their energy dollars.
Regions with higher energy rates or extremely hot or cold weather will see a larger percentage of savings with a smart thermostat.
Vacation homes can save more with a smart thermostat, because you can turn your HVAC system to a more efficient setting when no one is staying there.

Trane Home app takes smarter comfort to the next level

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Trane Home app takes smarter comfort to the next level

High-tech homes keep getting smarter, and the Trane Home mobile app leads the pack in creating smart comfort. Did you forget to change the temperature when you left the house? Want a simpler way to schedule your system to fit your lifestyle? Interested in saving energy? Need a hub that works seamlessly with your other smart comfort devices?

Trane Home lets you manage all of that—and more—from your phone, tablet, or computer.

How Trane home delivers smart comfort

The first benefit of Trane Home is the ability to control your home’s systems remotely, so you can save on energy use while also keeping your home comfortable. Whether you forgot to turn down the AC when you left in the morning or you’re coming home earlier than planned, the Modes feature lets you adjust the temperature from any web-enabled device. In addition, Modes makes it simple to program your system before a vacation or extended period away from home.

The Scheduling feature is the second step for optimizing your system with Trane Home. It’s a user-friendly way to program your thermostat to control temperatures that fit your routine, whether you’re at home, away, or snoozing in bed. Scheduling also provides the ability to view energy consumption, which can help you fine-tune your climate for the lowest possible heating and cooling bills. In fact, the EPA estimates that you could save about 10 percent a year on cooling and heating costs by using a programmable thermostat.

Trane Home offers a variety of other smart functions to customize your comfort, too. You can check current weather conditions with touch of a button, or connect with Alexa® or Google Home® to control your home’s temperature with voice commands. With compatible accessories, you can even automate lights and fans or use motion detectors to turn systems on and off.

Get started with Trane Home

Use the Trane Home app to program your smart thermostat and control your home’s temperature, no matter where you are.

To use Trane Home, you’ll need active broadband internet, a sufficient Wi-Fi signal, and one of Trane’s four smart thermostats: Trane ComfortLink II XL1050, XL850, XL824, or XL 724. Simply download the app to your phone or tablet and create an account on the online portal, and you’ll be ready to start customizing your Trane Home experience.

Automatic updates ensure you always have the latest version of the firmware installed in your system, and a U.S.-based call center offers live support 6 days a week, Monday through Saturday.

Trane Smart Home App

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Trane Smart Home App

Introducing The

Trane Home App

Enjoy next-level comfort and control with the Trane Home app. Connect your smart comfort system to the app so you can adjust your temperature, set your schedule and monitor your HVAC usage from virtually anywhere.

Keep it cool (or hot, whichever you prefer)

Use the Trane Home app to take instant control over how your home feels. Create your ideal temp and keep things as cool or cozy as you like.

Speak up, and tell your thermostat what to do

Connect with Alexa® or Google Home® to control your home’s temperature just by talking! Speak your command to manage your thermostat and other connected devices like your lights and speakers.

Here's how you connect to Google Home® or Alexa®.

Woman updating her home temperature via her phone

Save at home and in your bank account

Schedule when and how your system should run so it performs at its best and costs you less in utility bills.

More benefits for you to enjoy

Diagnostics

Share details about the health of your system with your HVAC dealer so they can help detect potential problems before they become emergencies.

Smart compatibility

Use the app with compatible products and devices that will maximize your home's comfort. Take a look at our comprehensive list of products you can use with your system.

Remote control

Going on a trip? Manage your electricity, appliances, HVAC and more at the push of a button. Never worry about leaving the lights on or coming home to a hot or cold home again.

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