Heating season is coming!

[Kimchi Bleu]

Smart thermostat. It learns from your inputs and predicts your habits; it also turns off the heat or AC when it senses no activity for long enough.

NEST was the company that invented it. Google bought them a year or two ago. I have on in one of my rental houses... honestly, I don't think it helps much because the people that live there overcorrect the settings all the time. I use a 10-year-old programmable thermostat in a slightly smaller house and pay far less for power.

That said, it does have potential if/when used carefully.

It would be completely useless for me. For one, my schedule is too erratic to predict and therefore, the heat or AC would run needlessly at times. Secondly, when I'm rehearsing with my band in the basement will it think I'm not home because there is no movement upstairs?

I have a programmable thermostat and never forget to adjust it or set the temp to "hold". However, the option to change the temp from my phone would be nice...

If the Nest does not recognize movement after awhile it will set to Away.  Which is a great feature to have since I don't have a set schedule.  I also love the ability to control it through my phone.

The Nest does have a lock feature so that it can't be accessed without a code.

[Gone Fishing]

Here's a tip for those who use wood heat, but have run out of properly seasoned wood.  If you have a gas or propane oven, preheat the oven to as low as it will allow, and bake some green wood for a few of hours on a cookie sheet.  The heat is not lost, as it displaces your furnace cycle, and after two or three hours you will end up with moderately dry wood.  Obviously, don't do this unless you are going to be nearby the oven.  After some practice, you will see how warm you can make it without much risk.  The goal is just over 212 F.  Your trying to drive out the water, not start it smoking.

You can also blend in a little green wood to stretch your seasoned wood supply.  Not the best in terms of pure BTUs but much better than trying to burn 100% green wood. It can also extend your burn time by a fair bit.  Got to watch the creosote, though.

[music lover]

If the Nest does not recognize movement after awhile it will set to Away.  Which is a great feature to have since I don't have a set schedule.  I also love the ability to control it through my phone.

The Nest does have a lock feature so that it can't be accessed without a code.

The fact that it changes if it doesn't recognize movement is exactly why it is of no use to me. I may be in the basement or another room for hours...it won't recognize movement, but I'm still home and want the temp to remain as set. My schedule is also erratic, so I simply set the programmable to "hold" or change program to start before my planned arrival.

I don't like wasting fuel if I'm not home, so I NEVER forget to adjust the program if required. A nest would "wait" for a predetermined time before making the change, or use a "learned" schedule that may not be accurate...both of which will waste fuel or electricity.