Guest Blog Post by Anna Visioli

There’s a new app on my phone nestled between facebook and Candy Crush that’s soo much cooler (or hotter) than either of them. My NEST apps allow me to control my home’s temperature from wherever I am, whether it’s in my own house or across the country.

We bought two Nest units (one for each zone of my house) earlier this year. We were drawn not only to the NEST’s ability to control the unit remotely, but by its claim to learn from our behaviors and adjust itself accordingly (offering energy savings in the process). In other words, my downstairs NEST would learn to turn the downstairs temperature up to 70 degrees prior to my weekday 5:55 am arrival in the kitchen, but on weekends, would know not expect to see me until two hours later, and would delay its temperature turn-upping magic accordingly.

The NEST had a difficult time learning our habits initially, which I largely attribute to the uncharacteristic snowfall (and resulting snow days) we experienced this winter in the Northeast. It has, however, adjusted nicely in the past couple of months, quickly learning that we prefer to sleep at a cozy 64 degrees (and that we go to bed entirely too early).

While the NEST is a nice convenience at home, I think it’s really a must-have convenience for those with a vacation or second-home. Leaving for a weekend at the beach house? Turn up the air-conditioning before you leave. Driving up the mountains for a week of skiing? Turn the heat up on your drive up to ensure a cozy arrival. It’s particularly helpful for the worry-prone (“I hope the pipes don’t freeze!”) or forgetful (“Did I turn the heat down?”), allowing us to check and adjust the home’s temperature from wherever we are.

The NEST unit can be installed by the moderately handy. However, you may want to use NEST’s compatibility checker on their website, to ensure that the unit will work with your current electrical setup before purchasing.

Anna Visioli is the  VP, Digital Marketing for Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC