Learn About a Thermostat Feature that Just Feels Good
Discover how ecobee engineers used the feels-like temperature to create an energy-saving feature that feels great and saves you money.
by ecobee on 08/22/2024 in Smart Home & Tech
4 min read
The team at ecobee is hard at work developing new products and solutions to help make your home more comfortable and more efficient. Today we’re taking a closer look at Adjust the Temperature for Humidity, an eco+ feature on ecobee thermostats that factors in the humidity to help you stay more comfortable and lower your energy bills.
Why your thermostat should take humidity into account
We've all experienced how humidity can be the difference between a comfortable summer day and a sticky scorcher. It plays a similar role in how we experience temperature indoors. When you enable the Adjust for Humidity feature for ecobee thermostats, your heating equipment won't run as much when the humidity is high because humid air is naturally warmer. Similarly, in low humidity, your thermostat will run your cooling equipment less because dry air is cooler. Using the feels-like temperature to control your HVAC system not only helps lower your energy bill by using your equipment less, but it will also help you stay more comfortable year-round.
How it works
To enable Adjust for Humidity, open your ecobee app and tap on your thermostat widget - select the Gear icon at the top right, and tap eco+. From here, tap on Adjust temperature for humidity, and toggle the switch on.
Once it’s on, the thermostat reading will automatically show you what the feels-like temperature is.
Here are three reasons to start using the Adjust for Humidity feature:
1. Live Comfortably
"Indoor humidity may vary a lot depending on the season, just like it does outside. Have you ever worn a T-shirt because you thought it would be warm, but then you felt the wind chill and wished you brought a sweater? That’s the feels-like effect,” said Cheryl Dias, developer advocate, ecobee Energy Services.
Just as putting on a cozy sweater helps you stay comfortable when the apparent temperature, i.e., the temperature we feel or perceive, is lower than the actual temperature, your ecobee thermostat helps you stay more comfortable at home by factoring the relative humidity into its temperature readings.
"With Adjust for Humidity, you can be assured that the temperature reading on your thermostat reflects the temperature you are experiencing. And when you do adjust the temperature for comfort, you can feel confident knowing that the temperature you change to will be the temperature you want," said Dias.
2. Save money while helping the environment
Having a temperature that factors in humidity allows you to only run your HVAC equipment when you need to, which means lower costs and a cleaner environment.
In 2022, customers saved 1,458,604 metric tons of CO2 with this feature, the equivalent of 504,707 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled
3. Free and easy to set up
eco+’s Adjust for Humidity feature can be enabled with one tap. Easily turn it on or off to enable or disable it. As soon as your thermostat reading varies by more than 1°F, you will see the eco+ icon on your screen to be aware it’s making a big difference. This small change is significant because it signals that the system is actively working to optimize your home's energy usage. By making these fine-tuned adjustments, eco+ helps reduce energy consumption, and increase comfort. This proactive measure ensures that even the smallest variations contribute to a more sustainable and efficient home.
At ecobee, we design intelligent, trustworthy, and quality solutions for your home. It’s all part of our larger commitment to improving everyday life while creating a more sustainable world. If you’d like to learn more about ecobee products and services like our smart thermostats, cameras, sensors, and robust home security system, you can visit our website. To find out how to can make the most of ecobee thermostat smart features, see our educational blog posts on the eco+ Community Energy Savings and Time of Use features and visit the eco+ page.
For more, follow ecobee on Twitter and Instagram.
References: https://support.ecobee.com/s/articles/eco-Frequently-Asked-Questions
https://www.ecobee.com/en-ca/eco-plus/ https://www.ecobee.com/en-us/ecoplusemv/
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