For Phoenix residents looking for the best smart thermostat on the market to upgrade their current system or to incorporate into their residential project for a brand new build, there are two smart thermostats, in particular, that offer contemporary design and innovative functionality and warrant close consideration: Google’s Nest and Honeywell’s Lyric.
The Contenders
While the Google-owned, smart thermostat called the Nest is well-known as the first programmable thermostat on the market in the 21st century, the Honeywell brand has been a mainstay in the market of high-quality products and thermostats for over 125 years. With the recent release of Honeywell’s innovative Internet-connected smart thermostat called the Lyric, Google’s Nest has a true contender.
The Lyric: a Honeywell Smart Thermostat
Compatible with 97% of the residential homes across America, the Lyric is a sleek and cost-effective thermostat that can be controlled not only by a sharp and simple interface on the contemporary device, but also from a mobile app on an Android, iPhone, or iPad. In no time at all, it “learns” the homeowner’s schedule and adapts to create a comfortable living environment 24/7. While the Nest offers this same “smart” programming, the Lyric has lots of other unique and noteworthy features.
- With a tap on the Lyric’s capacitive, touch-sensitive button, the Lyric instantly displays the current weather conditions in Phoenix and the day’s forecast for the upcoming weather.
- Honeywell’s mobile apps offer wonderfully-detailed interaction installation guides that include user-friendly installation videos.
- By identifying the location of the user’s smartphone, the Lyric’s Geofence feature can sense when the property is empty and when the homeowner is headed home ~ enabling the system to heat or cool the house right in sync with the preferred temperature. Geofencing can track the homeowner’s app-installed smartphone location up to 7 miles.
- The Fine Tune feature of this Wi-Fi thermostat is able to factor in the indoor and outdoor temperature, Phoenix’s humidity, and the current weather into its algorithm to provide the homeowner with the most comfortable and preferred temperature.
- A built-in proximity sensor automatically signals the display to show the current temperature when the homeowner walks up to the thermostat.
- Touch-sensitive buttons also include one to set back the temperature when the homeowner is away.
- The system features alerts on when to change a filter, get the furnace serviced, and assistance in finding a professional service.
The Nest: a Google Smart Thermostat
Like the Lyric, the Nest is an energy-saving device that adjusts itself according to the owner’s home temperature preference. This “auto-scheduling” feature enables the homeowner to preset preferred temperatures for different times of the day. In addition, there are several other noteworthy features of the Nest.
- An “auto-away” feature senses when the home is void of people and can thus provide over 90% energy savings. While not every household member is required to have this app installed, sometimes the Nest has a challenge tracking movement in a larger Phoenix home.
- Filter reminders enable homeowners to know when to change air filters.
- A heat pump balance feature assists users in truly maximizing the efficiency of their home’s heating pumps by limiting the use of auxiliary heat.
- If a home has radiators, Nest’s True Radiant feature creates a guess-free, predictable schedule of heating.
- The Nest offers in-depth usage reports.
- Although the Nest is not an “integration-friendly” system with Apple devices, it is compatible with the Android mobile operating system.
Prior to investing in a smart thermostat system, contacting a professional HVAC system in the Valley enables homeowners to ask questions and get a professional’s perspective based on each homeowner’s particular needs, property size, and budget.
