Smart thermostats: how much do they really save?

A smart thermostat doesn’t make heat: it makes sure your home is warm only when you need it. It schedules temperatures by time of day, notices when you leave and, paired with smart radiator valves, controls each room separately.

How much you save

Studies typically find savings of 5% to 15% of heating costs; our calculator uses a cautious 10%. On a heating bill of 900 a year (in your currency) that is about 90 a year.

You save more if your heating currently runs at a fixed temperature, if the home is empty during the day or if you heat rooms nobody uses. You save less if you already program a timer thermostat carefully.

Cost and payback

See the recommended thermostats and valves and check with the calculator what it is worth for your home: the upgrade appears in your action plan with cost, saving and payback.

• Smart thermostat: roughly 100–250, often DIY if you already have a wall thermostat.
• Smart radiator valves: roughly 40–70 each.
• Typical payback: 2–3 years for the thermostat alone.