Nest thermostat is worth the money

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Normally our energy usage is much higher than our neighbors and that is obviously reflected in our bill.
As you can see in our quarterly report not only did our usage go down we were still going down while our neighbors were going up.
This thing will pay for itself pretty quick. Kind of a pain to get used to using it because of it "learning" crap but worth it.
Also our ac didn't struggle to keep the house at temp when we hit triple digits this year.

 

[rightwinger]

Saves money if you are out of the house for long periods of time

 

[Dekster]

View attachment 523853

Normally our energy usage is much higher than our neighbors and that is obviously reflected in our bill.
As you can see in our quarterly report not only did our usage go down we were still going down while our neighbors were going up.
This thing will pay for itself pretty quick. Kind of a pain to get used to using it because of it "learning" crap but worth it.
Also our ac didn't struggle to keep the house at temp when we hit triple digits this year.

I suspect they have zero idea how much your neighbors are actually consuming and paying and are just snowballing you to reaffirm your choice so you will recommend it to others. Anyway, I have learned by trial and error that for my house, the sweet spot is to keep it set on 72 degrees. Below that and the AC comes on much more often. Above that and it is noticeably warmer than it should be.

 

[rightwinger]

Anyway, I have learned by trial and error that for my house, the sweet spot is to keep it set on 72 degrees. Below that and the AC comes on much more often. Above that and it is noticeably warmer than it should be.

I usually keep it at 68 in the winter and 78 in the summer

 

[Dekster]

I usually keep it at 68 in the winter and 78 in the summer

Having architectural shingles put on when I did my roof really changed the dynamics of my heat/AC. Since they had to redo the ridge to switch from a shingled ridge to the ridge vent system, it monkeyed with my numbers. 68 in winter used to be warm enough but now 71 is needed to account for the heat escaping through the ridge vents. Anyway, there is someone or the other here pretty much 24/7 most days so I don't see how something like thermostat gizmos would really help me. At 72 in the summer and 70 or 71 in the winter, people are comfortable enough they don't fiddle with the thermostat. If someone wants it cooler in the summer or warmer in the winter, I tell them to go into the guest room and close the door. With the door closed it is like a meat locker in summer and an oven in winter as it gets all the good stuff fresh out the unit.

 

[odanny]

I suspect they have zero idea how much your neighbors are actually consuming and paying and are just snowballing you to reaffirm your choice so you will recommend it to others. Anyway, I have learned by trial and error that for my house, the sweet spot is to keep it set on 72 degrees. Below that and the AC comes on much more often. Above that and it is noticeably warmer than it should be.

I think everyone has a different internal thermostat, but you're probably right at 72. My utility bills are always under a $100 a month, except in the case of prolonged "polar vortex", and my summer setting is 74, and I sleep at that temp as well. A ceiling fan does the rest.

 

[fncceo]

I built my own based on an ESP32 processor and a BME680 sensor ... total price including battery backup, TFT color display, and 3D printed enclosure ... $50.

The good news is ... it connects by WiFi to my Home Assistant Smart Home system.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

I suspect they have zero idea how much your neighbors are actually consuming and paying and are just snowballing you to reaffirm your choice so you will recommend it to others. Anyway, I have learned by trial and error that for my house, the sweet spot is to keep it set on 72 degrees. Below that and the AC comes on much more often. Above that and it is noticeably warmer than it should be.

That document is from my electronic supplier. We get them every quarter and when I compare them with my neighbors I am indeed the highest. Plus Evergy has no idea I installed new stuff.

 

[rightwinger]

At 72 in the summer and 70 or 71 in the winter, people are comfortable enough they don't fiddle with the thermostat. If someone wants it cooler in the summer or warmer in the winter, I tell them to go into the guest room and close the door. With the door closed it is like a meat locker in summer and an oven in winter as it gets all the good stuff fresh out the unit.

I dress differently in the winter and the summer

In the winter, I wear jeans, a sweatshirt and socks. I am comfortable at 68

In the summer, I wear shorts and a t shirt with bare feet. I am comfortable at 78

 

[rightwinger]

That document is from my electronic supplier. We get them every quarter and when I compare them with my neighbors I am indeed the highest. Plus Evergy has no idea I installed new stuff.

Those estimates are based on the square footage of your home. They have no idea if you heat your home with gas or electric or the type of hot water and appliances you have

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Those estimates are based on the square footage of your home. They have no idea if you heat your home with gas or electric or the type of hot water and appliances you have

No shit Sherlock. What part of my bill has gone down is difficult to grasp.

Good grief

 

[Dekster]

That document is from my electronic supplier. We get them every quarter and when I compare them with my neighbors I am indeed the highest. Plus Evergy has no idea I installed new stuff.

I have natural gas heat. Very few people in my neighborhood I know do. Actually very few people I know not in my neighborhood do either. It makes a world of difference in winter. When they are complaining about their utility bills doubling if we have a few weeks cold snap, mine might go up $30-$40 at most. I guess back in the late 70's and early 80's when my hood was built, natural gas was relatively pricier. I read somewhere that my city used to have some of the lowest electric prices in the country because in the early 70's they signed a long term contract to buy credits at a fixed rate from some generator out west. When that contract expired, it left us at the mercy of the market and now we pay some of the highest rates in my state at 13 cents per kWh plus whatever the base charge is. I think it is around 12 bucks a month.

 

[2aguy]

I suspect they have zero idea how much your neighbors are actually consuming and paying and are just snowballing you to reaffirm your choice so you will recommend it to others. Anyway, I have learned by trial and error that for my house, the sweet spot is to keep it set on 72 degrees. Below that and the AC comes on much more often. Above that and it is noticeably warmer than it should be.

We keep ours at a respectable -50....

 

[Dekster]

We keep ours at a respectable -50....

Mine is "energy efficient"---damn thing won't go below 68 on the AC or above 88 on the heat side, though only one of those has real world implications.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

View attachment 523853

Normally our energy usage is much higher than our neighbors and that is obviously reflected in our bill.
As you can see in our quarterly report not only did our usage go down we were still going down while our neighbors were going up.
This thing will pay for itself pretty quick. Kind of a pain to get used to using it because of it "learning" crap but worth it.
Also our ac didn't struggle to keep the house at temp when we hit triple digits this year.

Wont work in our case.
I'm home all the time and like it at around 70.
Although I do spend my days on the back porch so it might work.

 

[hjmick]

Just one more way Google can track you...

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Just one more way Google can track you...

Yes, they got me walking down the hall a few times a day. What will I do???