What is the best smart thermostat for multiple zones?

[Avocheeseado]

Hi, I am looking to get a smart thermostat for my home, but unsure on what to get. The obvious, nest learning thermostat, is good apart from you need to buy separate thermostats (£200 each!) per room you want to individually heat. As parts of the house get freezing, while others are warm this is a necessary feature, but don't want to buy multiple thermostats.

I am aware I will need smart radiator valves, and possibly temperature sensors? I am wondering which thermostat would be the best to get to be able to control about 4 zones individually, without having to buy multiple expensive thermostats. It would be good if it works with Alexa too.

Thanks for any help! I am clueless about this stuff!

[IPD]

It's probably far cheaper to just manually close vents in the warm areas and around the thermostat, and leave the vents open in the peripheral/extremities of the house.  It's not a perfect solution, but it definitely makes a difference. 

 

I don't have much expertise with smart home--as I refuse to connect any of my home equipment.  However, even without going online, you'd need a temperature sensor in multiple areas--each connected (presumably WLAN) to your thermostat.

 

You might try asking a local HVAC shop if they have recommendations.  You don't necessarily have to buy from them, but they undoubtedly have more expertise in various types of thermostats and installations.

[RAS_3885]

Can you clarify the type of heating system? You mention smart radiator valves... Does that mean you have actually hot-water fed radiators in each room, or is that a terminology issue and your referring to the air vents that are part of a central heating system?

 

Nest and Ecobee both have remote temperature sensors for around 40 USD each. They do not, however, allow you to actually control the temp on a room-by-room basis. I have an Ecobee and 5 remote temp sensors. I use them to balance temps across the house (manually, by closing certain ducts) and also have the thermostat use different remote sensors to calculate the average temp it control to based on time of day. For example, only use bedroom temp at night for HVAC control and ignore the rest of the house.

 

As far as I'm aware none of the major smart thermostats off-the-shelf allow for actual room-level control via smart vents/valves/whatever. You'd need a different system to monitor the rooms and open/close things accordingly.

 

Dual-zone central air HVAC systems are a thing and require two full-fledged thermostats to control. Even those aren't room-level though, unless one zone is just a big room, such as a finished basement that's just one big for for example. I don't think that's what you're talking about though...

[IPD]

Pretty sure he means servo-activated vents that can be opened/closed with the thermostat adjusting automatically for temp.

 

p.s.

my house has 3 HVAC (upstairs, downstairs and den)--and I use electric fireplace inserts on the outside chance I need supplemental heating.

[LordVetinari]

17 hours ago, Avocheeseado said:

Hi, I am looking to get a smart thermostat for my home, but unsure on what to get. The obvious, nest learning thermostat, is good apart from you need to buy separate thermostats (£200 each!) per room you want to individually heat. As parts of the house get freezing, while others are warm this is a necessary feature, but don't want to buy multiple thermostats.

I am aware I will need smart radiator valves, and possibly temperature sensors? I am wondering which thermostat would be the best to get to be able to control about 4 zones individually, without having to buy multiple expensive thermostats. It would be good if it works with Alexa too.

Thanks for any help! I am clueless about this stuff!

Given the use of the £ sign I am guessing you are UK : 

 

Check the Honeywell EvoHome - although do make sure it is compatible with your boiler as you may need an ABV. The base unit and a about 4 TRV's will set you back around £400. A full wifi/control pack with TRV's is around £800. Its worth considering the location of your TRV's as the Honeywell ones are thicc ol' boys. 

 

We use these extensively on new build houses - never any complaints, although the base unit is a bit..... early 2000's.  

 

Likewise Hive will do a similar thing but I'm unsure on prices, they aren't far different as far as I'm aware.  

 

Vailant do a similar vSmart sytem, although I don't know much about that one. 

[Avocheeseado]

On 1/6/2022 at 9:08 PM, RAS_3885 said:

Can you clarify the type of heating system? You mention smart radiator valves... Does that mean you have actually hot-water fed radiators in each room, or is that a terminology issue and your referring to the air vents that are part of a central heating system?

 

Nest and Ecobee both have remote temperature sensors for around 40 USD each. They do not, however, allow you to actually control the temp on a room-by-room basis. I have an Ecobee and 5 remote temp sensors. I use them to balance temps across the house (manually, by closing certain ducts) and also have the thermostat use different remote sensors to calculate the average temp it control to based on time of day. For example, only use bedroom temp at night for HVAC control and ignore the rest of the house.

 

As far as I'm aware none of the major smart thermostats off-the-shelf allow for actual room-level control via smart vents/valves/whatever. You'd need a different system to monitor the rooms and open/close things accordingly.

 

Dual-zone central air HVAC systems are a thing and require two full-fledged thermostats to control. Even those aren't room-level though, unless one zone is just a big room, such as a finished basement that's just one big for for example. I don't think that's what you're talking about though...

Yes, we have radiators in each room, no vents. If we were to go down the route of multiple zones, it wouldn’t be every room, but probably about 3 or 4 (living room, study and 2 bedrooms)

[pythonmegapixel]

On 1/6/2022 at 9:08 PM, RAS_3885 said:

Can you clarify the type of heating system? You mention smart radiator valves... Does that mean you have actually hot-water fed radiators in each room, or is that a terminology issue and your referring to the air vents that are part of a central heating system?

On 1/7/2022 at 1:02 PM, IPD said:

Pretty sure he means servo-activated vents that can be opened/closed with the thermostat adjusting automatically for temp.

In the UK we don't really have forced-air heating/ventilation for domestic properties. In the vast majority of houses, heating is done by pumping hot water around the house to radiators. The main advantages of this are that a well-maintained system is almost silent in use, and that the pipes are much more compact than air ducts - however it does have the disadvantage that  built in air conditioning isn't really possible, so where AC is desired in summer, portable units which vent through a window have to be used.

 

Each radiator has a valve on it which directs water either through the radiator or away from it, determining whether a particular room will be heated or not. In the past it was just a case of turning a knob to either open or close the valve, but you can now buy thermostatic ones which you can program to keep the room at different temperatures at different times of day.

[IPD]

I am so glad I have central air.

[pythonmegapixel]

7 minutes ago, IPD said:

I am so glad I have central air.

I'm glad I don't tbh... (but then maybe that's the reason Brits have radiators and Americans have forced air, if that's what they respectively generally show a preference for)

[IPD]

28 minutes ago, pythonmegapixel said:

I'm glad I don't tbh... (but then maybe that's the reason Brits have radiators and Americans have forced air, if that's what they respectively generally show a preference for)

Don't get me wrong.  I lived in Deutschland for a few years.  Radiators and open windows was your only adjustments.  I miss the Rolladen.  I miss the interior brick walls.  I don't miss the lack of customization and I really don't miss the lack of A/C or the need to rip out a wall every time there's a pipe repair.

 

Central air has a lot of advantages.  I can install a humidistat directly into the air feed--rather than having to daily-fill water containers on the radiators.  I can centrally control the entire temperature in the house.  A/C doesn't have to be a portable unit with atrocious efficiency that you put into 1 window.  And my experience has also been that central air (if it was built properly) tends to have more even coverage than the hotspots you tend to get with radiative heat.  I would have prefer heated floors over the radiators, for the most part.  I'm just glad I was on gas and avoided the hassle of not realizing you were nearly out of heating oil; getting the truck out; repairing the damage to the wallet from that unexpected expense, etc.

 

I've lived places with baseboard heat, radiators, and central air.  Central air is far and away best.

 

---

Keep us posted if you figure out your setup.  At least it's good info I might be able to pass along.

[Heliian]

+1 for Honeywell

 

Still expensive though. 

 

There is no cheap option really for what you're thinking.  

 

Talk to your local HVAC or boiler install man. 

[mad dudy]

hit up this forum https://www.hvac-talk.com/vbb/

they have a sub for home owners to ask question like these

 

all the smart t-stat will cost a lot and they will brake for no reason

 

i dont think a smart t-stat would even fix your cold spot problem. what you need is zone valves for all your rooms/zones

unless you know what your doing dont even try to DIY. find a good hvac guy and have them do it.