If you are automating your home with smart technology one of your main concerns is likely to be heating and cooling. Having complete climate control over your home environment with a smart air conditioner is desirable at any time of year.
But what exactly is a smart air conditioner and how does it work? Is it easily accessible and how tricky is it to set up? Is it the same as a smart thermostat? These are just a few of the questions that need to be answered if you’re taking a step up to smart home technology.
Let’s focus on what a smart air conditioner is, what it’s capable of doing for your household, how to set it up, the pros and cons and much more.
How Can I Make an Air Conditioner Smart?
Essentially, if you’re automating your home with smart technology you’re hooking up many of your major appliances to apps on your smartphone or tablet through an internet Wi-Fi connection. This means you can have remote control over your security alarms, cameras, lighting, blinds, kitchen appliances, home entertainment and more.
An air conditioner with smart capabilities links to your smart devices through your Wi-Fi connection, giving you the ability to control your household’s climate whether you’re at home or not. Smart air conditioners will also connect to a central smart home hub, allowing you to control your heating and cooling through voice activation if desired. And this applies to all kinds of air conditioners, including portable units, split systems and window models.
Smart air conditioning isn’t limited to just switching a single unit or multiple units on or off. You can also control the temperature and set timers that will ensure the home is heated or cooled before you even get there. And if you ever go out and get the feeling you’ve left the air conditioning on by mistake, you can easily switch it off remotely.
Is a Smart AC the Same as a Smart Thermostat?
A smart AC is a stand-alone unit which looks like a traditional air conditioner but has the capability to connect to Wi-Fi. Of course, you can control multiple units through smart technology, heating or warming whatever areas of the home you choose.
A thermostat is a device that can sense the temperature in the home and tell the air conditioner when it’s time to start heating or cooling. Like smart air conditioners, a thermostat can be operated through a Wi-Fi connection and it can control various types of units, including a ducted system.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Smart Air Conditioners?
There are not many negatives when it comes to having complete climate control of your home environment at your fingertips. But like any piece of technology there’s an upside and a downside, so it’s worth weighing up the pros and cons.
Here are some of the pros of smart air conditioners:
- Convenience: You can control your smart air conditioner remotely by just tapping your smartphone or tablet. That way you can make sure the home temperature is what you desire when you arrive home or when you get out of bed in the morning, whether you want toasty warmth or cool air.
- Cost-effective and energy-efficient: Smart air conditioners are more expensive upfront but they are energy efficient because your heating and cooling system is never on when you don’t need it. You can heat or cool only the areas of the home that you require and control the temperature. You’ll reduce your energy bills because you won’t be wasting power.
- Easy to maintain: The app will track your energy usage and can warn you when your air conditioning system needs maintenance. With regular maintenance, you’ll keep your smart air conditioner in top working condition, which will extend its lifespan.
- Environmentally friendly: All air conditioners emit carbon dioxide while running, including smart air conditioners. But being in full control of your heating and cooling system, including temperature level and fan speed, you’ll only be using it when you need it and therefore reduce your carbon emissions.
Let’s consider the cons of a smart AC:
- Expensive to set up: If you’re going full home automation with smart technology, you’re going to need appliances with smart capabilities. That means replacing many of your current appliances, including your air conditioner, which can be costly.
- Multiple units will be needed: This is an even more expensive exercise if you’re using multiple units, which will be necessary if you want climate control of the entire home.
- Installation: Installing a smart air conditioner so that it connects with your central hub and smart device apps can be tricky and you will definitely need professional help. It’s even more complex if multiple units are involved.
In conclusion, it’s hard not to see a progression to home automation as anything but a smart move. If you have the funds and can appreciate the long-term benefits, a smart air conditioner really really does offer total climate control where it matters most.
