Nest Learning Thermostat is a smart home device developed by Nest Labs, a subsidiary of Google. It learns your schedule and temperature preferences. It can automatically adjusting the temperature to your preferred setting. The thermostat can be controlled using a smartphone app, and it also integrates with other smart home devices, such as lights and security systems. The Nest thermostat also has a number of energy-saving features. This includes the ability to automatically turn off the heating or cooling when you leave your home. It can also provide monthly energy reports to help you understand your energy usage.
Why choose a smart thermostat?
There are several reasons why you should consider switching to a smart thermostat, such as the Nest Learning Thermostat:
- Energy savings: Smart thermostats use artificial intelligence to learn your heating and cooling habits, automatically adjusting the temperature to your preferred setting. This can help reduce energy waste and lower your monthly energy bills.
- Remote control: With a smart thermostat, you can control your home’s temperature from anywhere with your smartphone, tablet, or voice-activated device. This allows you to adjust the temperature before you arrive home, or turn off the heating or cooling when you’re away, saving energy and money.
- Increased comfort: A smart thermostat learns your temperature preferences, automatically adjusting the temperature to your ideal setting. It can also detect when you’re not home and adjust the temperature accordingly. This ensures a comfortable environment when you return.
- Integration with other smart devices: Many smart thermostats, including the Nest Learning Thermostat, can integrate with other smart home devices, such as lights, security systems, and door locks, allowing you to control multiple aspects of your home with one app.
- Convenience: Smart thermostats are easy to install and use, and they don’t require any special tools or technical know-how. They also provide regular updates and alerts to help you stay on top of your home’s energy usage and keep your system running smoothly.
Installation
Installing a Nest Learning Thermostat is a simple process that can usually be completed in under an hour. You can use a Nest approved installer or do it yourself if you feel competent with household electrics. You can search for Nest approved installers at https://nest.com/uk/nest-pro-installation/.
Here’s a basic overview of the steps involved:
- Turn off power to your heating and cooling system: Before you begin, you’ll need to turn off power to your heating system. This is typically done by turning off the breaker switch in your electrical panel or by removing the fuse that powers your system.
- Remove your old thermostat: Take off your old thermostat’s cover and detach it from the wall. If your old thermostat is connected to any wires, label each wire with a piece of tape so you can easily reconnect them later.
- Install the Nest base plate: If your wall has any holes or gaps, cover them with the included wall plate. Then, attach the Nest base plate to the wall.
- Connect the wires: Connect the wires from your heating system to the appropriate terminal on the Nest base plate. Refer to the wiring diagram that came with your Nest for guidance.
- Attach the thermostat to the base plate: Snap the Nest thermostat onto the base plate, making sure it’s securely attached.
- Turn power back on: Turn the power back on to your heating system by turning the breaker switch back on or replacing the fuse.
- Follow the on-screen instructions: The Nest will now turn on and guide you through the setup process. This will include configuring your Wi-Fi network, setting your schedule, and calibrating the thermostat for optimal performance.
My experience of the Nest thermostat
Let me start by saying it looks great. I have mine set so that it lights up when it detects someone walking across the room. It displays the current temperature and lights up red when the heating is on. Get real close to it and the display changes to also show the temperature it is heating to.
The geolocation feature is great for detecting when everyone is away from home and powering off the heating. When it detects you are heading home it will automatically start to heat the house.
It does have learning capabilities but due to my constantly changing schedule I found that frustrating. After a few months decided to disable this feature.
It is also great for keeping an eye on the temperature when you are away. I was recently away from home for a week and with sub zero temperatures back home wanted to keep an eye that the house didn’t get too cold. The frost protection automatically kicked in preventing the temperature dropping too low. As I had a 5 hour drive back home, I turned the heating on remotely just before I left knowing that the house would take some time to get up to temperature. By the time we got home, the house was a toasty 22 degrees. Just what I needed after arriving home on a cold day late at night after a long drive.
Most smart thermostats have very similar functionality so for me, Nest was a matter of personal preference only.
Would I buy a Nest thermostat again?
Probably, but I also wouldn’t be bothered with an alternative such as Hive. That said, I would always want a smart thermostat as now I have got used to having it, I wouldn’t want to be without one.
Check out another article we wrote on smart home devices, https://which-tech.co.uk/smart-devices-in-a-smart-home/
