The Smart Thermostat Setup Guide (That Actually Saves Money)
A smart thermostat can save you $50–$180 per year — but only if you set it up correctly. Most people install them and never configure the schedules that make them worth it.
The biggest mistake homeowners make with smart thermostats is treating them like regular thermostats. The whole point is the schedule. If you're manually adjusting it every day, you're not getting the savings.
Set a proper away temperature. When no one's home, there's no reason to heat or cool to comfort levels. A setback of 7–10°F for 8 hours a day can save up to 10% annually on heating and cooling.
Use the pre-conditioning feature. Most smart thermostats can learn how long it takes to reach your target temperature and start early so the home is comfortable when you arrive — without running the system longer than necessary.
Check your energy reports. Nest, Ecobee, and similar devices generate monthly energy reports. These are gold — they show you exactly when and why your system ran, and flag inefficiencies you might not notice otherwise.
Ecobee estimates their thermostat saves users an average of 26% on heating and cooling — but only when schedules are properly configured.
- Set a 7–10°F setback when away or asleep
- Enable geofencing if your household schedule is irregular
- Review your monthly energy report every month
- Make sure your HVAC system is compatible before purchasing
See This in Your Home
Get a personalized audit summary that shows exactly where your home is losing energy.
Get Free Audit Summary