A smart thermostat lets you schedule your heating and cooling to keep you comfortable while you’re home but save energy while you’re away. What if your schedule is more flexible, though? What if there isn’t always a specific, set time when you’ll be out of the house? Consider a thermostat that has geofencing.
Location-Based HVAC
A geofencing thermostat connects to your smartphone or other mobile device — specifically, to your GPS system — and lets you create a virtual perimeter around your home. Whenever your device is inside the perimeter, your thermostat goes into comfort mode, making sure your home remains at your preferred temperature.
Then, whenever you leave the house and cross that perimeter, the system tracks your phone’s location, senses that you’re no longer at home, and puts the thermostat into energy-saving mode. It works regardless of your schedule and keeps your house comfortable whenever you need it, without you having to pay to heat or cool an empty house.
Using Geofencing
To get the most out of your location-based HVAC system, make sure everyone in your household has a smart device that’s programmed into the system. That way, if one person gets home before everyone else, they don’t have to wait around for the air to kick in.
For best results when using geofencing, make sure General Location is enabled on all devices and that the app has all necessary permissions. On Android devices, set location services for high accuracy. Keep Wi-Fi enabled and make sure the device isn’t in airplane mode. For iOS users, make sure Background App Refresh is on, so the function will keep working even if the app isn’t loaded.
You can place the perimeter directly around your home or put the border a little ways out — maybe a kilometer or so away from your property on all sides. That way, your phone can signal your thermostat when you’re on your way home and get things comfortable by the time you walk in the door.
For more help maximizing your thermostat’s efficiency, contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We keep Lorain, Elyria, and Oberlin homes comfortable.
Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area