Smart Thermostats In 2021: A Year In Review

2020 was arguably the year that smart thermostats truly proved their worth. Last year saw unprecedented changes in daily life due to coronavirus, leading to what many would consider to be a rethink of modern housing essentials. This is likely to impact attitudes towards smart heating systems well into 2021. So, we wanted to look back on 2020 and see how the year has and will affect smart thermostats like Wiser. For more information on how thermostats work, read our handy article here. 

The Impact Of COVID-19 On Smart Thermostats

The Short-Term

When a pandemic was officially declared in March 2020 and many of us shifted to remote working, it had a significant impact on our smart thermostats. Having an efficient heating system suddenly became a much greater necessity as many began spending all their time at home. In April, it was reported that British households were using their heating 15% more during lockdown.

For those without smart thermostats and energy saving heating features, wastage rose alongside this. Even with smart heating, domestic energy bills increased for most homeowners, something that the UK government acknowledged with a working from home tax relief scheme.

The Longer-Term

Despite the economic fallout of COVID-19, sales of smart thermos are expected to grow significantly in the long-term. Whilst this trend predates 2020, the last 12 months have encouraged a re-evaluation of home improvement. The short-term impact of coronavirus has shown that people will be energy-conscious moving forward, with almost 30% saying sustainability was very important.

The fact that smart thermostats can be more effective at saving energy during lockdown than conventional heating controls, highlights their long-term importance to energy-efficient residential design. Rising energy bills in 2020 may even cause a bigger push towards innovations in eco-friendly smart heating in years to come.

Looking Ahead: Buying A Smart Thermostat In 2021

Upgrading to smart thermostats with smartphone app capabilities may help you to manage your home’s heating during the current lockdown. Wiser thermostats were named by T3 as “One of the best smart thermostats for value for money” in 2021. With the future of COVID-19 still so uncertain, 2021 might be the time to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Find out more about Wiser smart thermostats here, or contact us for any advice or support. Finally, for another helpful article, you can read our tips for saving energy whilst working from home here.