Software continues to have a significant effect on small businesses. The available tools are more advanced and accessible. The backend resources, such as cloud computing and artificial intelligence, have become much more sophisticated. Perhaps no industry is a better example of modernizing through these innovations than residential HVAC. This article will explore how software has been used to modernize HVAC systems.
Automatic Thermostat Control
Programmable thermostats are among the most notable recent improvements within the HVAC industry. Automatic temperature scheduling alone can reduce the average household’s annual heating and cooling costs by 10%. The industry believes it will be a key factor in reducing HVAC-related greenhouse gas emissions. A notable problem is that many households with a programmable or smart thermostat never set up a schedule and even those that do rarely update it.
The industry is dealing with this problem with machine learning. Many smart thermostats can now schedule themselves within several days of coming online. They can monitor household behaviors and continue to update the schedule as needed. Advanced profiles and models have made programming even more impactful. The software has also allowed for effective alternatives to scheduling, such as geofencing and even more advanced occupancy sensing.
Energy Monitoring
Spikes in electricity and fuel consumption are often the earliest signs of an HVAC malfunction. In the past, diligent homeowners had to monitor their heating and cooling bills month to month. It would therefore take weeks to identify a surge and a potential problem. Software-based energy monitoring is available as an onboard feature and through other devices, including smart thermostats and electrical panels. Such systems can detect surges within hours and even minutes rather than weeks or days. These systems can also track energy usage, identify patterns, and help homeowners make adjustments to be even more energy efficient.
Predictive Maintenance
Detecting high energy usage is one way to identify performance issues, but modern systems have become much more sophisticated. HVAC manufacturers have developed software that tracks performance from moment to moment. By doing so, it can establish normal parameters. When performance fluctuates outside those parameters, the software can recognize early on that there may be a problem. It can then alert the homeowner, such as by sending a text message to their phone, to schedule a diagnostic appointment. Predictive maintenance software has already had a revolutionary effect within the commercial HVAC space. Experts believe it will be the main driver of reduced consumer costs in the decades ahead.
Variable Flow
Mini-splits are among the most efficient HVAC solutions available. These systems have an outdoor condenser unit that controls multiple indoor units or heads. Each head provides the heating and cooling for its particular zone. Inherent zoning is a powerful feature that can reduce cooling and heating costs by 30% over traditional central systems.
Variable flow makes this approach even more efficient and is only possible through software advancements. In a traditional system, the outdoor unit provides the same refrigerant flow to all heads. In this approach, it can adjust the flow on a per-unit basis. This also means one unit can provide its zone cooling while another provides its heating.