TOP NEWS

Smart Thermostats Popular With Younger Generations, Says Report

A new report, from J.D. Power, says that "younger generations" are "cozying up" to smart thermostats, the devices which automatically adjust a home's temperature based on when people are in or out of a home, usually saving energy and money. According to J.D. Power, its 2019 Smart Thermostate Satisfaction Report says that overall satisfaction for smart thermostats has increased from 2018, as the firm said that manufacturers have focused on easing installation and use of those smart thermostats, and also are communicating to their users how much money they are saving once installed. Interestingly enough, two established thermostat manufacturers--Lennox and Carrier--had the highest satisfaction ratings, followed by Nest. J.D. power said that its study focused on 10 factors, including ease of use; ease of install/setup; reliability; energy efficiency; price paid; effectiveness of heating/cooling; internet connectivity; usefulness of app; variety of features; and customer service. Smart thermostats automatically adjust a cooling system's setting, so that when people are not present in a home the A/C or heating will not operate; that usually saves energy, although techniques such as opening windows to the outside world when it's cool in the evening and shutting curtains when it's hot can often be more effective in saving energy in homes.