Tried a smart thermostat and then went back to my old manual one

I spent $250 on a Nest last winter and honestly I hated it. It kept trying to learn my schedule but my Edmonton house just doesn't heat up evenly like that. I switched back to my basic $30 Honeywell manual thermostat after 3 months and my gas bill actually dropped by $40 in January. The smart one would kick on at weird times trying to anticipate stuff instead of just letting me set it when I'm cold. Anyone else find simple old tech works better in these older Edmonton homes?

3 comments

3 Comments

wendy_park762mo ago

Did you notice the Nest actually running more often than your old one?

bettywilson1mo ago

After I switched to a programmable thermostat from the hardware store, I noticed the Nest was running about 15 minutes more per cycle in my 1950s house with baseboard heat. @wendy_park76, I actually ended up saving a bit on my electric bill once I turned off the auto-schedule and just set it manually to match when I'm home. The learning feature never figured out my weird work hours, so keeping it simple worked way better for me.

wright.kevin2mo ago

I read somewhere that the Nest algorithm was actually designed for newer homes with better insulation and forced air systems, not the old baseboard heaters or radiators a lot of us have here. My neighbor used to install these things and he told me the sensors get confused in houses with multiple zones because the thermostat only reads temperature where it's mounted. Makes sense why mine was always wrong - I'd be freezing in the basement while the main floor was roasting. He also mentioned the "learning" feature is really just a guess and it messes up when your routine changes even a little bit, like on weekends.