Set-back thermostats have been available for many years, and are a means to automate the heat settings in a home, based on time of day and day of week. As intelligent as these devices may seem, even with their temporary over-ride settings, a home automation system can further increase their utility. Examples of increased sophistication include: automatic set back when the home is vacated (either long tem or short term), regardless of time of day; automatic temperature adjustment based on activity within the house rather than simple time of day (turn heat down upon early retirement, or leave heat on if staying up late); remote access to turn up the heat a couple of hours prior to returning after an absence, so that the house is warm upon arrival; and others. Heating control can be easily added to either new or added to existing heating systems for very little cost, yet save many dollars in heating costs, and provide increase living enjoyment.
