Loading…
19
Had to choose between smart thermostat savings and my own data privacy
I was looking at upgrading my whole house to a smart thermostat system that claimed it would cut my energy bills by 15-20% a year. That's like saving $180 annually based on my electric costs here in Phoenix. But then I read the fine print - they track every time you adjust the temp, when you're home, even combine it with location data from your phone. I decided to stick with my old programmable thermostat and just set a better schedule myself. Has anyone else found a middle ground that actually works without giving up all that information?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
vera_robinson365mo ago
Wait, they track your PHONE location too? That's wild.
2
michael6695mo ago
I think there might actually be a small misunderstanding here vera_robinson36, most smart thermostats with geofencing use your phone's Bluetooth or Wi-Fi signal when you walk in and out of range, not GPS location tracking like your phone's maps app would use. So they kinda know you're coming home but don't know exactly where you are at all times. @margareto26's suggestion about just turning off the geofencing entirely is probably the safest bet if you're uneasy about it, but honestly the way they track you is way less invasive than what social media apps do with your location data. The motion sensors in the thermostat itself are usually the main driver for energy savings anyway, the phone stuff is just a bonus convenience feature.
2
margareto265mo ago
Did you look into just using a smart thermostat with the geofencing feature turned off? That's what I ended up doing with mine. I bought a simple model that learns your schedule over time but doesn't use your phone's location at all. In my experience, you can still cut your bill by 8-10% just by setting a good schedule and using the motion sensors in the house. Your mileage may vary, but I found that was a decent trade off for keeping my data private.
2