Smart Thermostats near you

Natural Resources Canada describes adaptive smart thermostats as models that monitor weather, occupancy or proximity and adjust heating and cooling to suit your needs. In practice, that comes down to a handful of features, and not every model has all of them.

Confirm that a model supports your system before you compare features. Natural Resources Canada explains that after a setback, a heat pump may not be able to bring the house back up quickly, so the supplementary heat runs until it catches up; it recommends setbacks of no more than 2°C or a smart thermostat that switches the system on early. For a heat pump, look for explicit heat pump support, control over when auxiliary heat may run and an early-start feature designed for heat pumps. A dual-fuel system also needs a clear answer on whether the thermostat or the equipment decides when the furnace takes over.

Boilers and radiant floors respond slowly, so a model that learns recovery time suits them better than one that jumps between set points. Electric baseboards need line-voltage smart thermostats, usually one per heater or zone, and connecting them is work for a licensed electrician. Many low-voltage smart models need continuous power through a common wire; if your cable doesn't have one, check that the maker offers an approved adapter or plan for a new cable, and have the installer confirm the wiring before you buy.

Natural Resources Canada keeps a list of ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats and says models earn the symbol after being independently certified, based on actual field data, to deliver energy savings. Starting from that list narrows the choice quickly, and it's worth checking before you look at any utility offer, since each program keeps its own list of eligible devices.

Utilities also use smart thermostats to ease demand at peak times. In Ontario, the IESO's Peak Perks program, offered through Save on Energy, is open to homes whose central air conditioning, including a heat pump that provides it, is controlled by an eligible smart thermostat: on the hottest non-holiday weekday afternoons the thermostat can be raised by up to 2°C for up to three hours, you're notified before each adjustment, and you can opt out by changing the temperature. In Quebec, where peaks come on cold winter days, Hydro-Québec says a smart thermostat lets customers program their settings for winter peak events in advance. Terms change, so check your utility's current offer before you buy.

A smart thermostat keeps a record of when the house is occupied, and geofencing adds the location of your phones. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada encourages people to switch on only the features they will use and to give no more personal information than setup requires, so skip optional profiles and review the app's data-sharing settings, including any sharing with your utility or insurer.