You’re about to take the plunge on a smart thermostat, but you want to make sure your home is ready for it. Typically this involves finding a c-wire to keep the smart thermostat powered constantly, but there are other factors to line up. Let’s dig into what you need to know.
Smart thermostats have a lot going on inside, and figuring out compatibility can be a bit of work. A recurring theme among every smart thermostat is the need for a common wire, or c-wire. This wire provides an ongoing power supply to your smart thermostat so it can run in the background constantly. The always-on nature of smart thermostats is what allows them to learn when people are home and when to automatically make temperature adjustments.
Of course, if trying your hand at DIY electrical is too daunting, it’s always possible to hire contractors to assess the compatibility of your home, and handle the full installation.
So how do you find your c-wire?
All major brands of smart thermostats are versatile enough to connect to most types of home heating and cooling. Products from Nest and Ecobee should work. Also, Honeywell should work with your home. All of them should work even without a c-wire thanks to AC adapters. Your heating and cooling source shouldn’t matter either. Gas, oil, and electric heating are all supported. Supplementary systems like humidifiers and dehumidifiers can often be integrated with smart thermostats, too.
There are some exceptions to be made that are generally held across brands. Wires that use multiple large strands tend to be incompatible. High voltage wires labeled at 120V or 240V are also incompatible with many smart thermostats. That shouldn’t be too big of a concern, however, since most homes use low voltage for their thermostats.
Strictly speaking, smart thermostats don’t work with all homes, but they do work with the vast majority. You typically need a central HVAC system in order to be able to install a smart thermostat.
Smart thermostats also require Wi-Fi and a smartphone for full control. A healthy amount of the convenience of a smart thermostat is being able to control it remotely, which you can’t do without an internet connection. It may be worth moving your Wi-Fi router or getting a network extender to ensure your smart thermostat has a sufficiently strong connection to your home network.
First off, you can skim through the list of our favorite smart thermostats and find one that meets your needs. Odds are it is compatible. To double-check, individual brands have compatibility tools to ensure their smart thermostat will work with your home. These typically involve taking stock of the wires plugged into your current thermostat (see above for how to find those). So, once you’ve removed the cover on your current thermostat, then make note of the letters associated with the cables currently plugged in. Then visit the relevant compatibility page to ensure you’re good to go.
Hopefully, this insight puts your mind at ease when it comes to picking up a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats have the potential to reduce your monthly bills by intelligently turning off climate control when unneeded, and using predictive engines to make your home comfortable when everyone’s home. For all of the work it takes to check on compatibility and install, we think you’ll find a smart thermostat is worth it.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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