Even though household budgets remain tight, research carried out by Resideo found that 41% of UK homeowners are likely to consider spending money on the latest heating controls if it means they could save money in the future with their heating costs. Martin Wilson, North EMEA Regional Director at Resideo, looks at the concerns people have around smart controls and demystifies the common misconceptions.
Smart heating controls can be a simple, but effective, way to tackle escalating heating costs and better control energy consumption. By being able to monitor and adapt the temperature of a room via a phone or tablet, homeowners have ultimate control of their heating and can closely monitor usage.
Advising customers to take one small step – such as replacing an old mechanical room thermostat with a connected digital alternative – can come with challenges.
Our research* revealed that even though two-fifths of UK homeowners (41%) want a heating control that’s simple and allows users to easily see the temperature of their home, just under a fifth (17%) would consider opting for the latest smart controls.
The simplicity behind smart controls
The disparity between those two statistics unveils a key problem: there appears to be a misconception about how simple smart controls can be. For instance, customers can easily programme the Honeywell Home T6R smart thermostat according to their schedule, either directly from the unit in their home or through their phone. This avoids the need to adjust the controls daily.
Through the Resideo app, they can also adjust their comfort levels from anywhere, which not only ensures maximum comfort when they’re home, but also helps to save energy when they’re away.
Simplicity of the T6R continues through to the installation too. The control remains easy to fit and is available in wall-mounted or stand-mounted options to give greater choice and flexibility for customers on the location of the home unit. As a further appealing selling point, the T6R can control both heating and hot water, allowing visibility of the wider heating system and energy usage.
Explain the jargon
Smart thermostats, such as the T6R, also use location-based geofencing technology, which is ideal for homeowners who prefer a more ‘hands off’ approach to heating controls.
Although this can sound scientific, it simply means the system is able to track when a customer is close to home. Using smartphone location data, these thermostats can switch the heating to the desired temperature when customers are heading home, to avoid wasting energy unnecessarily when the home is vacant. For homeowners who prefer more control, there’s also an option to programme the T6R based on their schedule.
Advise customers
The biggest barrier is educating and reassuring customers that moving to a smart control system can be simple and effective. Aside from being transparent about the installation process and how quick it may be, installers should also make sure they discuss the long-term benefits.
For example, smart controls are designed to provide a flexible and cost-effective method to help reduce energy usage and, with it, energy bills; a benefit that many homeowners will be interested in.
On top of this, showing homeowners how the system works in real-time can help dissipate misconceptions. Installers can walk homeowners through basic functions like adjusting the temperature and setting schedules.
Letting homeowners play around with settings will also help them to feel confident that the system is easy to use. Focusing on tangible benefits like potential energy savings, cost reduction and convenience, will also make it easier for homeowners to understand the end result of installing a smart control.
Installers can also take the opportunity to reassure homeowners by addressing questions like data considerations, reliability, and ease of use, while explaining how the system works offline or if technical issues arise.
Our research also found that people aged 24-35 were much more likely to be interested in smart controls (34%) – something worth keeping in mind as the younger generation may be more receptive to hearing about smart solutions for their home.
Either way, an important factor that installers should consider is that one solution doesn’t fit all. As such, promoting a spectrum of options to homeowners when it comes to the smart control of heating makes good business-building sense.
*Survey of 1000 homeowners and 100 installers in the UK carried out on behalf of Resideo by One Poll in August 2024.
