The Best Smart Thermostat For Your Texas Home

Smart homes are rapidly growing in popularity in Texas. Smart thermometers are one of the most popular high-tech home products thanks to their money-savings abilities. The average consumer saves $180 per year in energy costs when upgrading to one.

A smart thermostat replaces the traditional thermometer in your home. It allows you to program your home's heating and cooling systems to turn down automatically when you're asleep or away. Many smart thermostats advertise DIY installation, but it can be tricky for most consumers. Unless you are particularly handy or tech-savvy, it is best to enlist the help of an HVAC contractor, electrician, or handyman.

These professionals will also be able to advise as to the best smart thermostat for your home. For a background idea, check out our top picks.

Best Overall: Nest Learning Thermostat, $249
This smart thermostat has been a bestseller since 2012. It learns your preferences and routines after you set it manually for about a week. Integrate it with other smart products in your home to have it shut off the lights when you leave, for example. Combine it with Nest Protect smoke + CO alarm, and the thermostat will turn off the heating system in the event of a fire.

Best for Big Homes: Ecobee4, $249
One criticism of smart thermostats is that it only monitors the temperature in one location. The Ecobee4 works with additional room sensors. If one part of the house is drafty, the sensors will tell the system to heat those parts of the house more or less.

Best Value: Honeywell Lyric T5, $150
Honeywell is a time-tested thermostat brand, but it's keeping up with modern times with its Lyric products. The T5 works with a proprietary app called Total Comfort Connect. This allows homeowners to remotely manage your heating and cooling system. The app is also partnered with HomeAdvisor to instantly connect homeowners to already screened professionals if an HVAC issue arises.

HomeAdvisor is a Patch promotional partner.