This is More Than Just a Thermostat!
Going through the reviews I have on various thermostats you will notice that they not only range in price, but they also range in features – from the simplest to the most complex. The one you’re going to read about on this page is probably best suited to people who would like that little bit more from their thermostat.
Sure, it will regulate the temperature in your home and help to lengthen the life of your heating or cooling system as well. However, if you’re someone who likes to get the best from what technology has to offer I think this thermostat is well worth a closer look.
I am of course, talking about the Venstar T5800 WIFI ColorTouch Thermostat which is operated (when you’re at home) via a touch screen. This model earns a place on my website for a number of reasons, but mainly it’s here because I can’t see any reason why upgrading your thermostat should be any different to say, upgrading your PC or phone.
So, let’s jump straight into what you can expect from this thermostat.
The Thermostat
It might sound a little silly for me to start with a heading called “thermostat” but honestly, the options with this device are so vast it really is more than just that.
Most importantly though, you get everything you need with this unit to keep the temperature in your home at a comfortable level every day. It includes a weekly schedule, and within that schedule you can have up to four different temperature settings in a 24 hour period. You can also override this schedule anytime you like and it doesn’t matter if you’re at home or not (more on that in a minute). Plus, you get automatic daylight saving times so there is no need to pre-program at those times of year.
The display is one of the most well thought out features I have come across with easy to see temperature settings, and it will even tell you what the weather is like outside so you can adjust accordingly if you need to. In the background, you can choose from a number of wallpapers to help give your thermostat that personal touch.
The unit works with both single and two stage heating and cooling systems, although if you are considering purchasing this model I suggest you check with an HVAC technician first just to be sure.
Energy Saving
Anyone who has researched a thermostat for their home will know that lots of brands on the market focus on energy saving (after all, it isn’t cheap anymore). This is why it’s important to have a heating and cooling schedule.
However, this model goes one step further. It will tell you how much energy you have used to either heat or cool your home over the past 7 days so you can adjust it if you need to save more money. It will also tell you if the pre-set temperatures have gone above or below what you’ve programmed and will report on the general health of your system.
How’s that for helping you save money?!
Remote Access
Now, this is where my eyebrows really started to raise (partly because it was the first Wi-Fi model I looked in to…).
Many of us have mobile devices these days, and we all know about the internet. Venstar has taken advantage of this and I think the features you’re about to read are some of the best available.
In fact, if you’re away on vacation or have an additional property you only visit occasionally, this thermostat will help to make sure everything with regards to your heating and cooling system is working as it should be.
By making use of the Skyport Wi-Fi app (which incidentally works with virtually any mobile device), you can set programs, override them and even set your HVAC system to come on and off. It will also tell you how well the system is doing overall and if you’re at home and want to program your thermostat, you can do it from the comfort of your own armchair in exactly the same way.
Other Features
Yes. There are more and these are all about the personal touches which make this thermostat a “gadget” dream:
- I have already mentioned you can set backgrounds on the screen, but you can also make use of the screensavers which range from a simple digital clock and slideshows, or you can even upload your favorite photos! If you wish, you can simply black the screen out which is really useful if the panel happens to be in a bedroom.
- Décor hasn’t been missed either because the ColorTouch comes with a variety of faceplates so it will blend into your own color scheme.
- Security can be a risk with thermostats, especially if you have young children who may be attracted to the screen. In which case you can lock the thermostat so the pre-programmed schedule doesn’t get messed up.
- If you like, you can send messages from your mobile device to the thermostat so others in your home know where you are, or you can just set yourself reminders of those little things you need to do at the end of the day.
Points to Remember
As you may have guessed installation might pose a problem for those of you who wish to take advantage of all the features mentioned, but are not that technology savvy. Although, if you’ve installed a thermostat before and are used to the internet, the manual that comes with this thermostat is pretty comprehensive. If you’re really not sure, it will take an HVAC technician no time at all to have this model up and running.
Overall
For the money, I have yet to come across another thermostat that is so much more than a panel that sits on your wall in order to regulate the temperature in your home.
You can find the Venstar with Skyport WiFi key here at Amazon, or if you already have a wireless dongle you can save yourself $40-$50 if you buy this one.
If You Are Still Undecided
I know that choosing a thermostat isn’t the easiest thing in the world to do. After all, that’s why I decided to bring this website to the internet – in the hope I could help others cut down their research time.
So if you know a Wi-Fi capable thermostat is what you want, but you’re still not sure which model to choose, take a look at my wireless thermostat comparison page which compares all the wireless models I have here. Hopefully, from there you will be able to make an informed decision without the need to read through every review I have.
Further Information
