I Don’t Know If I Like My Sister’s Smart Thermostat

My sister has a smart thermostat in her home. When she had it installed over a year ago, it was all she could talk about. She was so excited about saving energy and heating and cooling her home more efficiently. At the time, I ignored her. However, last weekend, she asked me to stay at her house while she was away. As her sister, I obliged. After a few hours of lounging around, I realized how cold it felt inside. I found the nearest air vent, but didn’t feel any air pushing through it. I assumed the thermostat was off, so I went to find it. Normally, I wouldn’t change the thermostat settings in someone else’s home, but this was my sister and she wanted me to be comfortable. When I located the thermostat, I tried to raise the temperature, but it wouldn’t let me. Her smart thermostat was locked! I texted her and asked if she could unlock the thermostat so I wouldn’t freeze. Instead of unlocking it, she turned the furnace back on. Apparently, her smart thermostat was programmed to shut off her furnace when she wasn’t home. It would cut back on 30 minutes before she was due to return home from work. This way, she wasn’t heating an empty home. The concept sounded intriguing, but I really didn’t like the hassle of having to alter the temperature through the phone. I wish I could’ve just turned the furnace on myself, rather than asking permission like a little kid.

 

 

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