4 Ways to Take Full Advantage of Your Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat works best when it can learn, sense, and adapt automatically. To get the most out of your smart thermostat, connect it to an Alarm.com system and sensors so it can automatically fine-tune temperature and energy use based on activity.

Just got a smart thermostat? You’re already on your way to a more comfortable, efficient home. And here’s the fun part: it does a lot more than hold a temperature. It learns your rhythms, senses when you’re home or away, and automatically balances comfort with energy savings.

Here are four ways to take full advantage of your thermostat and make your home’s energy smarter, smoother, and easier.

1. Save energy (and money) automatically

The average U.S. family spends $2,000 a year on energy bills, with nearly half going towards heating and cooling. Small shifts—like adjusting your home’s temperature based on your routine and real-time conditions—add up fast. A smart thermostat makes it simple: set your preferences once, and it quietly handles the rest. And when it’s connected to your whole-home system, those savings get even smarter:

Location-based automation

When you leave your home’s geofence, it goes into energy-saving mode and returns to your comfort setting as you head back.

Open-door intelligence

If a door or window is left open, it pauses heating or cooling so you don’t waste energy.

Earn incentives

Get rewarded by enrolling demand response via the Thermostat Rewards Program. During peak hours, your utility may shift your set point by just a couple of degrees to cut energy use—keeping you comfortable while helping the grid and putting money back in your pocket.

2. Enjoy comfort in every room

Most smart thermostats only know what’s happening in the one room they’re mounted in. But when your thermostat is connected to your home’s whole system, it can actually understand how each room feels and adjust accordingly.

Room-by-Room Control

Use temperature sensors to get the perfect climate in any room—not just where the thermostat lives—like your kid’s playroom or the basement.

Whole-Home Balance

Create an average temperature using multiple sensors for consistent comfort everywhere.

Custom Schedules

Tailor your heating and cooling to your daily routine—like a warm kitchen in the morning, a cozy office during the day, and a cool bedroom at night.

3. Stay in control from anywhere

Use intuitive app controls and built-in integrations to control your comfort however you want:

• Adjust the temperature using voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or Apple’s—perfect for saying, “Hey Siri, make it cooler,” while you’re running around getting ready for guests.

• Customize Scenes like Home, Away, Sleep, and Wake Up to automate multiple devices with one tap.

• Set up Apple CarPlay® or Android Auto™ to run a Scene directly from your car’s dashboard.
  

4. Protect your HVAC system from cold-weather strain

Extreme cold can push your HVAC system harder than normal. With a connected thermostat, smart alerts help you spot temperature drops early—before your system starts struggling or shuts down unexpectedly.

Place a temperature sensor in draft-prone areas like basements, crawl spaces, or over-garage rooms. If temps fall to a risky level, you’ll get an instant notification so you can adjust the heat or take action right away.

Get the Most Out of Your Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat is only the beginning. Tie it into your Alarm.com system and unlock even more serious security features.

Click below to get connected with a local pro today.