NEST is a creative Home-Tech device that is your Answer to SAVE Energy. NEST is THE Answer to SAVE 20% Energy in Your Home or Office 🌐 Saving Energy Means You Save with Your Electric Bills 🌐 Saving Energy Means Reducing Air Pollution 🌐 Saving Energy Helps our Planet. How much money may be saved depends on your life-style, your comfort-zone, and where you live. We live in south Florida where Air Conditioning is a “necessity” for comfortable living. Being NYC born and raised, cool temps are something I’m used to. Marilyn being Miami, Florida raised, A/C is part of her living requirements. Lets speak about the System First, then we’ll talk about the Costs and Savings. For the record, I have no financial interest or management connection with NEST, other than buying and installing NEST for our City residence.
★ Take a Video Tour of How NEST Works:
★ Build and Design: The Nest was founded, engineered, and designed by two former Apple employees. Tony Fandell, Founder and CEO, formerly with Apple, led the team that created the first 18 generations of the iPod and the first three generations of the iPhone. Tony has authored more than 300 patents, graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelors in Computer Engineering. Matt Rogers, Founder and VP Engineering, was also formerly with Apple responsible for iPod software development at Apple, from concept to production. Matt earned his BS/MS degrees from Carnegie Mellon University. Presently there are several other former Apple and Logitech associates in the NEST Management team.
★ The background of the two principal founders speaks loudly, that design, quality, style, and unique operation are at the forefront of their products and operability. Unboxing the Nest, the attention to detail even with the packaging literally felt like opening a new iPhone.
★ The convex-curved large Watch-glass like display with a beautifully machined Stainless Steel bezel and housing, delivers a premium look and feel. NEST’s current Temperature Display and Menus are all controlled by a sturdy brushed-polished stainless steel turn-dial housing. Selecting items is as easy as clicking (pushing the display screen in). The overall build-quality and design are top-notch on the Nest, and should look stunning in any home or office.
★ Meet NEST Learning Thermostat video clip:
★ NEST contains meaningful Menus and Charts summarizing your Schedules created by your use Setting of the Learning Thermostat, and a summary of your Energy usage, in our case averaging about 11.5 hours/day of A/C usage during week-days, and some 13 hours/day for week-end days. The screen images were captured from my iPad. Further below are some iPhone display images.
★ The NEST App’s Main Screen displayed below, shows the current Temperature the SMALL digits that reads 75°F, the Background Color for the TEMP, displayed in Dark-Gray, indicating that the HVAC Temp is being maintained at 78°F; however the HVAC “Compressor” is not being used as until the Ambient Temperature increases to over 78°F, then the HVAC will commence Cooling to maintain 78°F, or the next Temp setting on your schedule. This is the setting I arranged when I am out of the Apartment. With our usage desires, NEST is “scheduled” to change the dwelling to 74°F beginning at 1pm, a time that I generally return to the Apartment from my morning appointments.
★ Your NEST schedule will change as you change your life-style, number of days you are OUT of your residence, the Weather conditions, etc. For example during the Summer the A/C will generally operate for more hours to keep your residence to the temperature you desire. As Winter approaches where the outside temperatures decrease, your A/C will operate for less hours during the day-time, saving energy. NEST will track these efficiencies, along with your setting the Temps to sit your needs. As Temps drop further in the Winter, the HVAC Heat-Pump will operate to Heat your Residence, all performed automatically to your desires with NEST’s Learning Thermostat.
★ Your NEST will also manage and display your Energy Usage displayed in the number of hours that the “Compressor’ is operating for your A/C system. In our case the hVAC system is a HEAT PUMP, therefore HEAT or COOL uses the HVAC Compressor to exchange energy from your dwelling. We also keep the HVAC system’s FAN to Always ON mode to help control dust and airborne pathogens. NEST can handle this feature too.
★ Installation & Setup: The folks at NEST have made the setup and installation as easy as possible; Nest has also included all the essentials in the box, including a miniature screw-driver. Much like getting a new iPhone for the first time, the Nest Learning Thermostat is very easy to install, setup, and simple to use.
★ Go to NEST’s compatibility page (which I did too) to see if your HVAC’s heating and cooling system is compatible with a NEST thermostat. You will have to remove your current thermostat face-plate to make sure your wires will match with the inputs on the NEST’s device. Nest claims they have about 95% of all home HVAC systems covered with the NEST’s new second-generation model. Our HVAC system is a relatively common 6-wire Low Voltage control circuit, as you may notice in the images below.
★ We live in a Luxury Multi-Family Apartment building constructed in 2004, in down-town Boca Raton. The images displayed are an inside-view of our actual 6-wire hook-up to the existing Thermostat, where I simply pulled the Thermostat-Cover straight back, as it snaps-off the two plastic clips on each side, slips back onto the wall-bracket, by aligning the housing and push straight-towards the wall. The installation performed by myself took about 20 minutes, being very deliberate, following NEST’s simple instructions to the letter, and not in a hurry. When reviewing devices, I always follow the supplied instructions to make sure the instructions actually deliver a working installation. NEST did a great job with the written and video installation guides. A short Video Link is provided below for your convenience.
★ Here is a short video clip for the simple NEST installation.
★ The Number ONE Question is… Why do I need the Premium NEST Learning Thermostat, when there are dozens of “Programmable Thermostats” presently in the market-place. The Answer is a surprise… most of these Programmables are just to difficult to “Program.” Therefore according to a recent Energy Department Study, over 90% of dwellings that have Programmable Thermostats, the users do not program these thermostats, they simply turn up the A/C (or Heat) and turn down the A/C (or Heat) manually like the rest of us with manual thermostats.
★ The true Magic with the NEST device is, it remembers the precise Time of Day and at what Temperature the user changes the Thermostat to, therefore “Learning” your behavior, what Temperatures you prefer, when, which days, when you are Home, and when you are Away.
★ Suggestion: During the early days and weeks, be vigilant in setting the Temps you prefer morning, noon, night and late night, whenever, so that NEST will be “LEARNing” all the nuances of your desired Temps, Times, Ventilation preferences. Accordingly NEST will build a detailed schedule of your desires, automatically, and effortlessly.
★ The number one support question NEST receives: “Will NEST work in my home?” NEST has received many requests for compatibility with two-stage cooling and dual-fuel systems and promised homeowners NEST would let the folks know when Nest would work for them. NEST’s Second Version includes compatibility for most of these special HVAC Systems. NEST’s Compatibility Web- Page is very well designed for non-technicians. Its almost like a Cliff-Notes version of HVAC Thermostats for Dummies. So assuming you are not color-blind, as you need to be able to a Red wire from a Green wire, the process is very simple.
★ NEST’s 2nd Generation Learning Thermostat is now compatible with 95% of low-voltage HVAC heating and cooling systems, including 2nd stage cooling, 3rd stage heating, dual-fuel systems, emergency heat, and whole-home humidifiers and dehumidifiers.
★ When I first discovered the Nest Learning Thermostat, from several of my FAU students, I was extremely interested in how NEST works and
(1) is NEST compatible with our residential High-Rise Apartment’s HVAC System
(2) is NEST easy to Use
(3) is NEST easy to Install
(4) is NEST really capable of Saving Money in use.
★ NEST’s Thermostat has become one of our favorite home-tech devices. For those unfamiliar with this trendy device, the NEST is a smart, WiFi enabled “Learning” thermostat. NEST devices are available in both their 1st Generation model and a 2nd Generation versions; the newer version is 20% thinner (about 8mm thinner), 36mm or 1.4″ protruding-out from the wall as installed, but more importantly the 2nd Generation NEST has increased support for more HVAC heating and cooling and multi-energy systems. Personally, I’m one that likes to investigate and perhaps buy the newest engineering, high-quality products.
★ This NEST Learning Thermostat review covers the Second Generation model which can be ordered from NEST directly, or going into most APPLE Retail Stores, BestBuy, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and by mail-order at Amazon for $250 including free shipping. Honestly, this purchase feels like the best $250 I’ve recently spent on a home-improvement device, other than Wireless Home Video Security which I hold in high regard.
★ Are you thinking of purchasing a Nest? Well then, this Nest Thermostat review may help you decide if NEST is right for you. NEST’s 1st Generation model is 20% larger and protrudes 1.7″ or 44mm from the wall (as opposed to 36mm, the dimension of NEST’s 2nd Generation model). If your HVAC system is compatible with the 1st Generation, and you are OK with an extra 8mm (or 1/3 inch) depth, NEST’s 1st Generation device is generally available for around $200 on Amazon. Most of the Retail Stores only have the newer 2nd Generation NEST model.
★ Considerable personal research was performed to obtain data as to the impact of using NEST. The spreadsheet segment below demonstrates the magnitude of the savings that clients have experienced using NEST. Extrapolating lots of data, it seems that NEST should provide savings in the order of about 20% for Cooling and Heating expense portion of ones Electric and/or Fuel Oil Bill. For families where both adults work during the day-time, the savings may be improved, as NEST can be programmed to use Less Cooling during the Daytime hours in the summer months, or Less Heating during the day-time hours in the Winter, as the family is out of the residence during the day for example.
★ Generally speaking for North American Dwellings, Heating and Cooling energy consumption, represents about 50% of the Energy Consumption for typical households of say 800SF and over; The remaining 50% of one’s Energy Consumption arrises from the creation and use of Hot Water for Bathing, Showers, Washing Machine Laundry Equipment, the Laundry Dryer, Cooking, Ovens, Hair Dryers, Microwave Ovens, indoor and exterior Lighting, Televisions, Computers, Coffee Makers, Ceiling Fans, Chargers. NEST is designed to Optimize the 50% component of your Electric Bill, the HVAC, Air Conditioning Cooling & Heating System usage.
★ Lets speak about the well designed Free NEST iPhone and iPad App that adds the capability of Controlling your HVAC Air Condition System remotely using your existing Home based WiFi network; a home-based WiFi network is a pre-requisite for remotely controlling your NEST Learning Thermostat. Say you are coming home Earlier in the Day than you Normally arrive. Launch the NEST App, which will access your NEST Thermostat over the internet, where you can Turn the HVAC System to say 74°F so you will be comfortable as you arrive.
★ As to operation, NEST really has designed a Winner. The menus are extremely well designed and logical, when setting up the device for the first time. Anyone can do the setup, and the installation is relatively easy to follow, as the instructions are very well written and easy to follow.
★ NEST displays the current temperature in a beautifully designed round display with Large Digital Temperature Display in its Center. If the HVAC system is working-to-Cool your dwelling, the display Background of NEST’s Display is BLUE. If the HVAC system is working-to-Heat the dwelling, NEST’s display Background is RED. If your HVAC system has achieved your desired Temperature, NEST’s display Background is Dark GRAY in color.
★ Walk Near NEST’s display and it “Comes to Life” and illuminates the Current Temperature, with the appropriate Colored Background, RED for Heating, BLUE for Cooling, or Dark GRAY if the Current Temperature is the Desired temperature. Wave your hand near NEST, or walk close to NEST and the Display illuminates, in about 15 seconds the display sleeps. The device is assembled with a self-contained LiON rechargeable battery, which is charged by the HVAC’s 24-volt, low voltage control-wiring, so that the NEST’s settings are maintained in the event of any house-hold power outages that may occur due to Storms or Power Company power outages, or the tripping of your Home’s circuit-breaker.
★ In sum, NEST was incredibly well thought and designed
✔ NEST’s simple, modern, attractive physical design
✔ NEST’s self-Learning of our unique temperature settings for morning, noon, night time, late night, anytime, temperature settings we may desire
✔ NEST’s stunning, simple, informative Display
✔ NEST’s remote settings are extremely easy using your iPhone and iPad
✔ NEST’s setting capability from anywhere, assuming a home-based secure WiFi
✔ NEST’s proximity sensor for auto-display illumination as you approach Nest
✔ NEST’s team thought out every detail, exquisitely
✔ NEST’s similarity to what we’ve learned to expect with Apple’s iPhones and iPads
✔ NEST’s operation remotely even when in the home, to your HVAC system
✔ NEST’s only lacking Voice Control through SiRi or directly into NEST’s App; For example “…NEST, set the Bedroom Temperature to 70°F until 5am…” I will be forwarding this suggestion to NEST this evening
✔ NEST’s rating as a result of this review: 9.99 of a perfect score of 10. Needless to say, I really like NEST and its related App for remote control of our Apartment’s HVAC system.
★ Say you are going out of town for 5 days and you forgot to set the HVAC, A/C system for being away, no need to Cool your Home in the Summer (or Heat your Home in the Winter) if you are out of town for the week.
★ No problem, simply start the NEST App on your iPhone or iPad, and set the A/C to 84°F (assuming its Summer season) while you are out of town. When you return home, arriving at the Air Port, launch the NEST App, and re-set the NEST Thermostat to 74°F, or whatever your comfortable Temperature is desired.
★ We live in a modern high-rise Apartment Building with a single “centrally” located thermostat. Lets say its Winter-time, and a cold front comes through the City at 1:00am and your bed-room temperature is a bit too Cold. Instead of getting up and heading over to NEST’s location, wake-up your iPhone, start the Free NEST App, and turn-UP the Heat while staying “under the covers.” Conversely, if the bedroom is just too HOT late night, simply turn NEST down for some more A/C using your iPhone or iPad with its WiFi remote capability.
★ Further, from any location where you have Internet connectivity, you can see the current ambient Temperature and Humidity of your Home, (and/or change the HVAC settings) at any time with the NEST App. Notice in the image, the Current Temperature is 79°F, NEST is set to Cool to 73°F, the Background is BLUE indicating that the HVAC is working-to-Cool our Apartment. The Next Graphic shows my iPhone display of the NEST App with a 74°F and a Dark-GRAY background. This indicates that the HVAC system is idol, the Ambient Temperature is 73°F and NEST is set to achieve 74°F. If the ambient temperature increases to 75°F the NEST device will activate the HVAC working-to-Cool mode until the Ambient Temperature of 73°F is obtained.
★ Lets Talk Energy and Money. Research has determined that on-average for North American Dwellings, one may expect a 20% reduction of the 50% of your Electric Energy Bill, by controlling your HVAC Systems in the Home, with greater savings when used in Office environments. Therefore, if your residential Electric Bill runs on average $250/month, this equates to $3000/year. The Cooling and Heating A/C, HVAC System energy consumption portion of the annual energy expense, equates to $1500/year. NEST should save you on average 20% of $1500 which equates to about $300/year.
★ Presently (Nov, 2013) NEXT is selling for $250 per device. Therefore for a typical 1200 to 2000 square foot Dwelling using a single, “centrally” mounted thermostat, your first Year’s energy savings should more than pay for the NEST Learning Thermostat.
★ Below are a series of images that show my actual installation steps and wiring of the NEST Learning Thermostat, and the NEST device set-up.
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