The Internet of Things has changed air conditioning tremendously over the years. Appliances which were previously thought to be the most basic feature of the house have now evolved into high-tech pieces of equipment. For example, just look at inverter technology in air conditioning or multiple benefits achieved from smart air conditioning. Home appliances such as ACs can now integrate with other smart home appliances to provide a unique yet satisfying experience. Smart air conditioners present a very particular set of features that were unheard of years ago. These features present the next level in comfort and convenience!
You can make any air conditioner smart and benefit from the numerous features by using smart AC controllers such as the Cielo Breez Plus! All you need is Wi-Fi to power and connect this very smart controller and you’re all set to control your AC from your phone! You can control your AC from anywhere in the world and at any time!
A mobile app will be your gateway to all things regarding air conditioning in your home. This app can then further be integrated with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, or even Siri Shortcuts and work along with other smart home devices.
Smart ACs, apart from offering global control from anywhere in the world, also give the user intelligent features such as location-based controls, usage history tracking, air filter status, smart schedules, and much more. But arguably the biggest advantage of smart ACs is the reduction in energy usage. With smart air conditioning, energy savings of up to 25% can be achieved. With air conditioning taking up 12% of a home’s energy consumption in the US, this is quite an attractive prospect for homeowners living in warmer climates, especially with multiple air conditioners installed throughout the home.
But by now you will probably be asking, what are smart AC controllers and what do they do?
What are Smart AC Controllers?
Smart AC controllers also known as mini-split thermostats are little gadgets that can make any AC smart. These devices work with any type or brand of ductless AC, be it window, portable, or mini-split that comes with an IR remote control. Instead of spending big amounts of money on a new smart air conditioner altogether, these aftermarket devices can be installed in as little as 5 minutes and be ready to take your air conditioning to the next level.
The Cielo Breez Plus is one such device, and perhaps the best one on the market currently for ductless air conditioners. With a sleek and smart design, the Cielo Breez Plus fits in perfectly with any home décor. The display panel presents all the useful information such as your room’s current humidity and temperature levels, along with basic AC controls right on the device.
While simple technology such as smart plugs may be able to make an AC smart – smart AC controllers provide unprecedented features. Let us go over some of the major features and functions of a smart AC controller:
Intelligent AC Triggers
Cielo Breez smart AC controllers offer their flagship intelligent temperature and humidity trigger mode, known as the Comfy Mode. Through this mode, the device can be set up to maintain a specific temperature or humidity range. Inbuilt sensors within the device can sense when the current temperature and humidity are falling out of the specified range, and the AC can then be turned on or off (depending upon the specific settings) to maintain the range.
With Comfy Mode, human intervention is eliminated and the AC will work by itself to keep your environment as desired. This feature is also very useful to lower your energy bills.
Set Daily or Weekly AC Schedules
If you have a fairly fixed routine throughout the week, then this mode is for you.
7-day schedules can be set up, with a different function defined for each hour throughout the day. For the morning, you could be having a comfortable 70 degrees. But then at 8 AM, just before you leave for work your AC can be switched off. Just before you come home, the AC will already have the temperature set to 68 degrees, before gradually settling in at 70 for the evening.
With the whole day planned, you don’t have to worry about your temperature settings and focus on more important things in your routine. Perfect temperature always!
Location-Based Controls
Location-based controls, also known as geofencing with the Cielo Breez devices, work by sensing the user’s location and then operating the AC accordingly. Through the free Cielo Home app, the smart controller can detect how far away you are from your home. If let’s say you are only 3 miles away the AC can be turned on so that the home is cooled (or heated) to the perfect temperature, just before you enter.
Similarly, if you’re leaving in a hurry and forget to turn your AC off, the smart controller will turn the AC off as soon as you reach your car!
Energy Saving
Smart AC controllers provide a significant reduction in energy bills throughout the heating and cooling season. Reducing energy usage not only cuts your bills but also serves to decrease your carbon footprint caused by air conditioning.
Cielo Breez devices provide savings of up to 25% in energy bills. This is achieved not only through intelligent modes and algorithms such as the Comfy Mode, scheduling, and geo-fencing, but also through usage history tracking, zone controls, and live air filter status. All these individual modes when combined provide a hefty cut in AC usage at the end of the day. As an example, Comfy Mode can keep you from using your AC at too high of a setting needlessly. When it detects that the room temperature is within the specific range, it will automatically turn the AC off, so that energy is conserved.
Google Home & Amazon Alexa Integration
This is perhaps the most enticing feature for a smart home fan. Smart AC controllers, including the Cielo Breez Plus, can work together with Amazon Alexa and Google Home to enable voice commands. Other than this, routines and skills can be set up, so that the AC can function through simple commands such as “Good morning” or “It is so hot today”. With these commands, other smart home gadgets can also work together with the AC. Through Alexa and Google Assistant, the AC can be turned on or off, toggled between modes, or simple temperature increments can be made.
Other features include usage history tracking, live air filter status, timelines of actions, zone controls, and much more.
Technology has been advancing at lightning speeds in this century, and the HVAC industry is not one to be left behind. It is being used to apply the concepts of the Internet of Things to air conditioning, with great success. Energy savings, convenience, and comfort are just some of the benefits which are provided to customers through smart air conditioning. Smart AC controllers are the way forward to making AC’s smart and should be adopted at the earliest to attain the full benefits of technology.
