Winter Tips by Rick Tinker

1. Use your HomeSeer controlled thermostats to create a "warm and cozy" setting on those cold winter mornings - have HomeSeer turn up the temperature on the thermostat in your sleeping area so it is extra warm in the morning when you get up. Then, when the security system is disarmed, motion is detected in the bathroom, or whatever - have the setting return to normal. This uses more energy, but we're talking lifestyle enhancement here, not energy savings!

2. Use your HomeSeer controlled thermostats and one of the many weather scripts available* to boost the efficiency of your heat pump or geothermal based HVAC system. Many of these systems have temperatures where they do not operate efficiently. For example, an air exchange heat pump (the most common type) spends more time defrosting the system when the temperature falls below ~35F than it does pumping heat into the home. Consider having HomeSeer switch your thermostats to Auxiliary or Emergency Heat mode when the temperature drops below 35F, and switch back when the temperature is 35F or higher. Also, create some HomeSeer events or scripts to produce gradual (one degree per hour) temperature changes when you want to raise the temperature a great deal to help prevent the automatic use of your auxiliary or emergency heat source. This is especially important if your secondary heat source is not a very cost effective source of heat. Raising your thermostat setting suddenly can cause the auxiliary heat to be used due to the rapid demand for heat, but with events or scripts that create a "heat pump recovery" mode, you can make the best use of your efficient heat pump energy.

3. Use a script to download your local school's winter status and have it read to you as part of your morning wake-up routine. Hearing that schools are closed or delayed in their opening by a couple of hours means staying in that nice, warm bed a little longer.

4. Use a script to monitor your area's roads or snow removal status web page and have it read to you as part of your morning wake-up routine, or check for the roads you take to work to see if they are cleared. If you can get the information in such a way that you know the roads are/are-not cleared, you can have HomeSeer adjust your morning wake-up time to give you extra time to get to work due to poor road conditions. (Better yet, use HomeSeer Phone to call your boss and let him know you can't make it in to work today! Your boss will be so impressed with your home automation that he won't even think about chewing you out for skipping out on work!) -- author's note: Unless your boss writes the home automation software! :-p

5. Using one of the many weather scripts available*, have HomeSeer wake you up early when the temperature is below freezing so you can have extra time to scrape the ice off your car or shovel your walk for the mailman delivering your latest HomeSeer order.

6. After installing a remote car starter in your vehicle, have HomeSeer start your car on work days when the temperature is cold so you can climb into a warm car with fully defrosted windows when it is time to leave for work. Note: This is what one or our users does already!

7. Using one of the many weather scripts available*, have HomeSeer turn on your water pipe heaters when the temperature is very cold, or if you have electric water valves on the pipes leading to your outside faucets, have HomeSeer close them when the temperature starts to drop.

*Our HomeSeer Message Board is a terrific place to go for many of the scripts mentioned above.  FYI