Skip to main content

How a smart thermostat can protect your home from brownouts

Summer’s here, and for some parts of the country, it’s going to be challenging to escape the extreme temperatures. Air conditioning is a must-have for those mid-July heatwaves, even more so for those with respiratory troubles and other health conditions. The trouble with summer and air conditioning, though, is that everyone on your street or in your apartment building has the same idea as you: They want to be cold, and they want to stay cold. When there’s too much strain on your local power grid, there’s a chance a brownout may occur. This is a temporary lag in electrical power that can affect your home for a few minutes or up to several hours.

Recommended Videos

Thankfully, today’s homes are significantly smarter and more efficient when it comes to combating high energy demands from appliances and HVAC systems. Take, for instance, the beauty and wonder of smart thermostats, which monitor and regulate the temperature of your home. They’re far more efficient because they’ll kick off your air conditioning system when you’re not home, or simply operate it at a lower capacity to maintain a specific temperature. They learn your habits over time to reduce power consumption, saving you money in the long run.

Here are some tips on how you can protect your home from brownouts using a smart thermostat:

  • Set your temperature to a lower level or turn it off completely if no one is home. If you have a pet, you’ll want to keep them comfortable by maintaining a specific temperature.
  • Don’t set your AC system to kick on as soon as you get home. Instead, it’s more efficient to have your smart thermostat turn on earlier, prior to your arrival, to give it more time to slowly get your home to a pleasant level.
  • Close or lower your blinds. This will help with maintaining a cooler home when you’re not there and will allow your smart thermostat to work more effectively as well.
  • Sign up for programs that can reward you for using a smart thermostat.

If you happen to own a Buy at Amazon , there’s even more of an incentive for you because of the Rush Hour Rewards program. Energy rush hours occur when there’s a surge of power consumption during a heatwave because everyone in a particular area turns on their air conditioning system in an attempt to cool down their homes quickly. You can imagine the stress that the power grid endures during these energy rush hours, which can potentially result in a brownout or blackout. Here’s how to test your thermostat.

Rush Hour Rewards with Nest Learning Thermostat

However, by signing up for Nest’s Rush Hour Rewards program, you’ll be sent alerts about when these energy rush hours are expected to occur by the power company. Rather than being set to kick on at your usual time, your Nest Thermostat will automatically modify your cooling schedule to work around rush hour. Right now, New York residents who are under Con Edison’s coverage can earn $85 when they buy a Nest thermostat and sign up for the program. Those around Portland can earn up to $75 with the program.

Michael Bizzaco
Former AV Contributor
Michael Bizzaco has been selling, installing, and talking about TVs, soundbars, streaming devices, and all things smart home…
The 6 best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home in 2025
Nest Hub Max Hands-On Review

Smart displays are one of the best ways to organize your smart home. Offering displays so you can quickly see all your most important info, the ability to sync with other devices, and a wealth of apps for both productivity and entertainment, they often become the hub of the smart home. However, shopping for the right one can be a challenge — dozens of products are available, but not all of them will be a perfect fit for your needs.

Do you want a massive display or something tiny for your kitchen counter? Do you want access to apps like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube? And what about connectivity — do you prefer Google Home, Alexa, or want the best of both worlds with Matter ? Whatever the case, we’ve put together 6 of the best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home. Regardless of what you’re seeking from your smart display, these are the best in the business, and one of them is bound to make an excellent addition to your smart home.
The best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home

Read more
This new air purifier from SwitchBot features a HEPA filter and can charge your smartphone
The SwitchBot Air Purifier Table near a bed.

SwitchBot has officially launched two new air purifiers -- the SwitchBot Air Purifier and the SwitchBot Air Purifier Table. Both are equipped with a HEPA filter to tackle all sorts of air particulates and allergens, though the Air Purifier Table offers several additional features that make it a more versatile member of your smart home.

Regardless of which air purifier you choose, you’ll get a capable device that can clean a 215-square-foot space in just over seven minutes. For a larger 1,800-square-foot space, that gets bumped up to an hour. Carrying a clean air delivery rate (CADR) of 236 cubic feet per minute and capable of operating at a quiet 20dB, it should be a solid choice for both standard bedrooms and larger living spaces. Along with a HEPA filter to remove bacteria, the SwitchBot Air Purifiers feature a carbon filter to extract pet odors from the air along with a pre-filtration layer to trap pet fur.

Read more
Google’s Gemini AI can now control your smart home devices
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat in stainless steel.

After spending a bit of time in Public Preview, Google is rolling out its Google Home extension for the Gemini app to everyone. This will allow you to control smart home devices using Gemini, including tasks like turning on smart lights, checking your smart thermostat, or adjusting the volume on your speakers.

The Google Home Extension will be rolling out over the next few weeks, and once you've made the update, any compatible devices synced to your Google account will be accessible via Gemini. If you try using commands in the Gemini app that aren’t supported, your smartphone will automatically launch the Google Home app to complete the command (such as accessing camera actions and smart lock features).

Read more