"Curious though—anyone else find their smart thermostat's 'learning' feature more annoying than helpful?"
Yeah, mine drove me nuts at first...kept assuming I wanted it colder at night than I actually did. Ended up disabling the learning feature altogether and setting schedules manually—way less frustrating.
Same here, honestly. Did you notice any real savings after switching to manual scheduling? Sometimes I wonder if the "smart" features are just marketing hype...maybe good insulation or windows make a bigger difference long-term.
I've seen clients save noticeably more long-term by investing in better insulation and energy-efficient windows. Smart thermostats are convenient, sure, but the real difference usually comes from reducing actual heat loss...which windows and insulation address directly. Smart tech helps fine-tune efficiency; it doesn't create it.
Gotta say, I get your point about insulation and windows making a big difference—I upgraded mine a few years back and definitely saw a drop in heating bills. But honestly, don't underestimate smart thermostats. Before I got one, I'd constantly forget to turn the heat down at night or when leaving for work. Once I installed it, those little savings really started adding up. Sure, it's not as dramatic as sealing drafts, but over time, convenience can translate into real money saved.
Good points on the smart thermostat—definitely agree it's underrated. A couple extra things to consider:
- Smart thermostats also give you detailed usage data, which helps pinpoint exactly when you're wasting energy. I found out my heating was kicking in way too early in the morning, adjusted it, and saved even more.
- Windows are great, but their upfront cost is pretty steep. Thermostats offer a quicker ROI, especially if you're on a tighter budget.
Ideally, you'd combine both upgrades eventually...but if you're prioritizing, thermostats might be the smarter first step.
