Electrical Contracting News (ECN) October 2017 | Page 59

HVAC
SPECIAL
FEATURE
opportunity to capitalise on the growing
demand for smart heating systems.
Smart heating lets customers control
their heating when they are away from
home, using an app on their smartphone
or tablet. So when plans change, heating
programmes can be altered from anywhere.
Innovative additions such as smart
radiator thermostats make it even easier
to create designated ‘heating zones’ in
the home, allowing users to take their
heating to the next level and control the
temperature on a room-by-room basis.
This means your customer is no longer
stuck between heating the whole house to
the same temperature or having to switch
off the heating completely. After all, you
wouldn’t use one switch to control all the
lights in your house, so why do the same
with heating?
Home comforts
There are many instances where this can
be especially handy. For example, if a
person is cold in bed, they can remotely
switch the heating on just in the room they
are occupying, all without having to leave
the duvet.
Alternatively, if the homeowner is
out of the house and receives a call that
unexpected visitors are stopping by, they
can adjust the temperature in the living
room or kitchen so it’s comfortable for their
return – either increasing the heat on a
cold and wet day, or switching heating off if
it’s warm and sunny.
Or, if they need to dry some washing in
the spare room – they can simply switch
on the heating for that room using the app,
and dry the clothes without heating the
whole house unnecessarily.
Another aspect of heating zones is the
safety that they can offer according the
specific needs of occupants. Research
has shown that keeping a baby’s room
at a consistent 18°C can reduce health
risks, so creating a zone in that room gives
parents the ability to set and monitor the
temperature from anywhere in the house.
Selecting the right
solution for the
customers can seem
like a daunting task.
In addition, zoning rooms used by
elderly relatives or those who struggle to
regulate body temperature offers the ability
to set a specific temperature to minimise
health issues. Users can also remotely
control the temperature in an elderly
relative’s home from a significant distance.
Take it easy
It’s clear to see that there are a vast
number of benefits for the homeowner, but
how can electrical contractors make smart
heating work for them?
October 2017 | 59