In heat mode, it draws warmth from the air outside your home and releases it inside (a ground-source heat pump absorbs heat from the ground). Not sure what a heat pump is? It’s an appliance that redistributes warm and cold air. Do smart thermostats work with heat pumps?Īll of the smart thermostats we’ve reviewed–apart from the ones designed work with portland and window air conditioners–are compatible with heat pumps. Virtually all modern smart thermostats support both single- and multi-stage HVAC systems. As a result, multi-stage HVAC systems are more efficient than single-state. Conversely, when the ambient temperature is far from your desired temperature, the system can kick on at full tilt and then switch to a lower-power mode as it approaches the target. A two-stage system, for example, might have a “low” setting and a “high” setting, while a three-stage system might have “low,” “medium,” and “high.” When the ambient temperature is already close to your desired temperature, the system doesn’t need to ramp up to its full power to reach your target temperature. Do smart thermostats support multi-stage HVAC systems?īetter HVAC systems offer multi-stage heating and cooling, meaning they can operate in steps, versus simply switching between on and off states. You’ll program the entire system using a single app. The control panel opens or closes the dampers in each zone as needed to bring that zone to your preferred temperature. In this case, you’ll have multiple thermostats–one for each zone–that connect to a central control panel. If you have a larger home, your HVAC contractor might have installed a zoned system that lets you set a temperature target for different rooms–or different levels–instead of heating or cooling your entire home to a single target temperature. Here’s a longer explanation if you’re not sure what a multi-zone HVAC system is. The short answer is typically yes, because you’ll install a smart thermostat in each of your existing zones. Do smart thermostats support multi-zone HVAC systems? Some smart thermostats–including our top pick, the Ecobee Premium, come with power adapter kits that can be installed if you don’t have a C wire and don’t want to pay to have one installed. If there’s no C wire, our advice is to have one installed. If you pull out your existing thermostat to install a smart model and find no C wire connected to it, look inside the wall to see if there’s one that hasn’t been connected. But the latter practice is known to cause problems with some HVAC systems, including permanent damage. Many smart thermostats require the presence of a dedicated C (common) wire for this purpose, while others can siphon electricity from another source, typically the R (power) wire. They rely instead on low-voltage power provided by your HVAC system. Fortunately, they don’t require so much power than they need to be plugged into the wall. Smart thermostats typically require more electrical power than a set of batteries can provide. Do I need a C wire to use a smart thermostat? The wires themselves should be color coded, but a good practice is to photograph your old thermostat for reference before you take it down. The thermostat itself should be clearly indicate which wires go where, and most companies provide labels that you can attach to the wires coming out of the wall as you disconnect and remove your old model. The manufacturer should provide comprehensive, yet easy-to-understand instructions with plenty of photographs or illustrations to guide you through the process. It’s also compatible with more air conditioner models than its competitors.Ĭielo Breez Plus review Frequently asked questions about smart thermostats Are smart thermostats hard to install?Ī thermostat shouldn’t be difficult to install, even if you’re only moderately handy. While this isn’t the most attractive air-conditioner controller we’ve seen, it is the most versatile and the easiest to set up and use.
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