The Nest Learning Thermostat

*UPDATE November2014: Google, which purchased Nest last year, has announced a new software update for all Nest thermostats. This update, which introduces a new algorithm to the device, will decrease heating and cooling costs by up to 6%. This increased efficiency is on top of the 16% to 20% energy savings Nest owners are already realizing. The update features an enhanced auto-updating feature that more quickly reacts to changes in users' energy schedule. *

*UPDATE 10/12* Nest has just introduced a new second-generation Nest thermometer! It's 20% thinner than the original model, and will work in 95% of homes with low-voltage systems. It includes new hardware, updated software, and more apps and features. The price for the next-generation Nest is $249. The price for the first generation Nest has been lowered to $229.

 

Heating and cooling is responsible for about 50% of your home's total energy usage. All of that energy is controlled by the thermostat; in fact, 10% of ALL U.S. energy is controlled by the unassuming thermostat. That's equal to 1.7 Biliion gallons of oil per year. Programmable thermostats can go a long way towards making your home more efficient, but a new product by Next is poised to change the way we all look at our thermostat.

Thermostats and Energy

Thermostats work by controlling the indoor temperature of the home. Programmable thermostats work by automatically turning the temperature up and down during pre-determined times of the day, like at night or during the day when the house is empty. Still, many people override the programmable thermostat to get to a more comfortable temperature, or worse yet just never bother to program it.

Energy-conscious homeowners save energy by keeping the thermostat set lower in the winter and higher in the summer, but there are times when we simply forget to do this. That's where the Nest Learning Thermostat comes to the rescue.

Nest Learning Thermostat

A regular programmable thermostat set properly can reduce heating and cooling bills by 20%, but they require an exact schedule. Real life doesn't always fit an exact schedule. We get stuck in traffic, work late, leave early….. Studies show that 90% of programmable thermostats are never even programmed at all!

The Nest Learning Thermostat was designed using the power of today's technology to build a program around your daily schedule, and your temperature preferences. It's an amazing new product; let's look at how it works.

Nest eliminates programming. It eliminates the need to constantly adjust the thermostat to be comfortable. In one week, it will program itself, automatically, to keep your home comfortable and save energy. Here's what will happen in that first week….

Day 1: Nest Installation and Introductions
The Nest thermostat is fairly simple to install, along the lines of a light fixture. It can also be purchased with an installation plan.

The Nest unit will start to get to know you by asking some simple questions….what's your zip code? What temperature do you like the house at when you're away? Nothing too challenging!

Days 2-5: Learning Begins
Like a well-behaved child, Nest will do exactly what you tell it to do. At this point use Nest like a regular thermostat; turn the temp down at night or when you're away, turn it up when you're home. Not too high, not too low.

Day 6: Watch Your Energy Usage
As the Nest thermostat learns, unique energy-saving features like Auto-Away and Energy History become available. Auto-Away adjusts the temperature automatically when nobody's home, saving unneeded energy. Energy History shows you exactly how much heating/cooling energy your home is using daily.

Auto-Away: If you're away from home for more than two hours, Nest will sense your absence and adjust the temperature accordingly. How? We don't know, but we're pretty sure magic is somehow involved. (The Nest website claims it uses activity sensors.)

Energy History: Nest will display how much energy you're using, as well as if your manual temperature adjustments, Auto-Away, or even the weather has affected your energy use. Again, it must be magical. (Actually, Nest uses its wi-fi connection to monitor weather conditions and forecasts. Not as fun as magic, but it works.)

Day 7: The Green Leaf
The Nest Leaf will begin to appear on the face of the Nest when you're saving energy. Adjusting the temperature just one degree can cut energy usage by up to 5%. Use the Leaf to save energy!

Now that Nest knows a little about you and your schedule, it will work year-round keeping your house comfortable and your energy bills low.

The Nest Learning Thermometer can be monitored and adjusted from anywhere: home, office, car, anywhere in the world via computer or its smartphone app.

The software that makes Nest work its magic updates automatically; it is secure, private and reliable, using public key cryptography for your peace of mind.

The Nest Thermostat will run about $249, and is available HERE.

Visit the official Nest website by clicking HERE.

 

 

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