What’s the Difference Between a Smart and Programmable Thermostat?

Have you been considering an update from your old thermostat? If so you may be curious about the difference between a smart and programmable thermostat. In this brief guide, we’ll help you get a bird’s eye view of the differences and which might be right for you.

1. Programmable Thermostats: As the name suggests, this type of thermostat can be ‘programmed’ to adjust temperatures at a given day/time or when a certain criteria are met (such as temperatures falling below a certain threshold). These thermostats are useful if you would want to adjust temperatures when you were away at work, or at night when everyone is nestled under covers. By programming temperatures to meet your lifestyle, it can reduce energy costs while keeping everyone comfortable.
2. Smart Thermostats: A more recent innovation, smart thermostats take things further, being more intuitive and learning from your habits, likes/dislikes, desired energy use, weather and more. Using this information, a smart thermostat will automatically adjust to ensure the ideal conditions are met based on your needs. These thermostats are also WiFi connected, meaning that you can easily manage and make changes to it while on the go from a home or computer.

Both options are a major upgrade from old analog thermostats and can greatly improve energy efficiency as well as improve the comfort of your home.