In just 30 years, technology has changed so much of our everyday lives. With these advancements, people have cameras monitoring their homes and entryways. They have speakers that share the news and weather, play music or podcasts, or make calls. Modern technology is also heightening safety in homes. Smart devices can turn on and off lights and adjust climate control settings. 

Smart home devices help us do things we never would have imagined could be achieved. Fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide detectors alert you to fires and unsafe carbon monoxide levels and tell you what room or rooms are affected. We’re in a world where voice commands and smart technology make it easy to monitor and adjust your home’s HVAC system. It can do so much more, and those safety features include radon monitoring and smart thermostats. 

Smart Thermostats: Pair Climate Control With Safety

Smart thermostats do more than keep your home to your desired temperature. The technology analyzes your comings and goings. When you leave home, it tracks when you arrive home at night and when you leave. It learns when you go to bed and when you get up. Using this information, it can adjust settings for each day of the week so that your HVAC system sets the temperature up or down based on those patterns.

In the past smart thermostats had sensors that could tell you when you entered or left a room. They’ve come a long way. Some models have indoor air quality monitors. If the air quality declines, you’ll get an alert to run your air purifier. It also alerts you when it’s time to change your air filter. When it comes to air quality, standard measurements like VOCs are one option, but some also monitor for carbon monoxide.

Some smart thermostats connect to your HVAC system and offer predictive maintenance. If something is wearing out, you’ll get an alert. You can be in your office miles away and get alerts that tell you if the AC has stopped working, isn’t cooling effectively, or is constantly cycling. 

Because you have these benefits, you’ll find your energy consumption declines, which means lower electricity bills. It also protects you from fire risks caused by an HVAC system that isn’t working properly.

have gone beyond the simple function of maintaining a desired temperature. They can learn our schedules and preferences, automatically adjusting the temperature throughout the day to ensure comfort and efficiency. This not only saves energy and reduces utility bills, but also contributes to a safer home environment in several ways:

The Importance of Radon Monitoring

What do you know about radon? It’s a colorless gas with absolutely no odor that is present in bedrock and soil. It travels into the atmosphere and basements through cracks in the foundation. 

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who do not smoke. Traditionally, people put a radon test in their home for several months and mailed it to a lab for testing. If issues are determined, a radon remediation expert will come install a ventilation system or sump pump system to remove the radon from your home. 

With today’s technology, there are continuous monitoring systems like carbon monoxide detectors that continually track radon levels. These are an ideal option because you have real-time data and can track trends. This makes it easier to determine where the radon is coming from. If the levels only increase when you have windows open, the radon is coming in through the window. 

If problems are detected, you can work with a radon remediation expert to get a system that removes the radon from your home. One option is an HVAC system that pressurizes your home to keep radon from entering.

Things to Consider Before Upgrading Your Technology

While smart thermostats and radon monitors offer significant benefits, they’re not for everyone. You have to decide if they’re a good option.

Are They Compatible With Your System?

Smart thermostats are not compatible with every HVAC system. If you have an older AC system, it may not work with a smart thermostat. You need to look into that first. If it’s nearing time to replace your home’s central AC, why not wait until you have a new system and upgrade to smart thermostats at that point?

You also need to make sure they’re compatible with your smartphone. Most people have newer phones, but if you love your older flip phone and haven’t given it up, it’s not likely going to be compatible.

How Many Devices Do You Need?

If you’re installing smart thermostats, you need one per zone. If you currently have one thermostat for each floor in your home and you have three floors, you need three thermostats. Consider how much money you have to spend to replace them all. 

For continuous radon monitoring, you want at least one radon detector every 2,000 square feet or one per main living area. If you have a living room, family room, and three bedrooms that are used constantly, you might want five radon monitors. 

Can You Adjust the Privacy Settings?

Your home’s smart thermostats have to be connected to your router, which means they’re not as secure as an old-fashioned thermostat. If a company is breached, there is a chance that your system could also be hacked. It’s not a comforting thought.

To assure safety, you have to take precautions to make sure your system is as safe as you can get it. You need protective software and firewall protection for your router and modem. You need to use secure passwords and monitor for suspicious activity. You also want to have control of the privacy settings on your smart thermostat’s app to lock things down as tight as you can.

Can You Install Them?

Many smart thermostats allow you to install them, but not every model does. If you need to have them professionally installed, make sure you can afford the installation costs. Plus, make sure the installer is comfortable installing the brand you’re looking at. Some are hesitant to install cheaper knock-offs and stick to the main brands like EcoBee, Google Nest, or Honeywell.

Technology Is a Smart Investment in Your Family’s Safety and Comfort

When you use smart thermostats, radon monitoring, and smart smoke/fire/carbon monoxide detectors together, you’ve made a valuable investment into a safe, comfortable home for your entire family. 

All Year Cooling has decades of experience in keeping your home cool and comfortable, but we also keep up with advancing technology to ensure your home is safe, too. Learn more about the benefits of pairing your HVAC system with technology like UV lighting for sanitization, smart thermostats, and radon monitoring.