The state of Texas is so uniquely located that its climate can vary dramatically and change very quickly — from week to week, and even from day to day. Much of our weather can be the result of climatic interactions in other parts of the country or from surrounding waterways. Tropical west winds that blow in from the Pacific Ocean, hurricanes and tropical cyclones that begin in the Gulf of Mexico, arctic air that drops down from Canada, and high-pressure systems that originate in the Atlantic Ocean will all cause fluctuating weather patterns in Texas.

Fluctuating Weather’s Effect on Your AC or Heating Unit

Humidity, rain and changing extremes of hot and cold temperatures can negatively affect your air conditioning and heating units. Humidity especially, which is caused by warm air that is saturated with moisture, will put a burden on your AC unit. You may notice the moist, clammy air, fogged windows or a musty or damp odor in your home due to prolonged or high levels of humidity. Your AC system will have to work a lot harder to cope with humidity while attempting to provide sufficient cooling.

Residential heating units are also stressed during severe weather conditions, as Texas does get below-freezing weather days. And the wind coming off the Gulf in January through spring can make an average winter day that much chillier — about 10 to 15 degrees colder. Heat pumps and furnaces have to work that much harder to accommodate fluctuating temperatures caused by windy conditions.

Using Smart Thermostats to Ease the Burden on HVAC Systems

The result of constant variations in weather conditions is not only a burden on you HVAC system, but it also tends to increase your utility bills. Just one of the main benefits of smart thermostats is the ability to reduce unnecessary HVAC usage when you are not at home, while still keeping your home at a minimum temperature level until you return. Here are some other key features of switching to smart thermostats:

• Save money by using less energy because smart thermostats allow a more energy-efficient management of your home’s temperatures. This can save you over $100 annually, which will pay for the thermostat investment.
• Some smart thermostats can learn your preferred patterns for home comfort and will lower and raise the temperatures automatically, keeping your home warmer first thing in the morning and cooler overnight.
• Even when you’re not at home, you can remotely access your thermostat via WiFi connection. Even when on vacation, you don’t have to worry if you neglected to adjust the thermostat.
• You can monitor your home’s energy consumption to make smart decisions on how to program your thermostat to use even less energy. Some models even have maintenance reminders to change HVAC filters or have a system tuneup.

A smart thermostat will allow you to not only simply control, but to automate, your home’s temperature to avoid the wide temperature fluctuations caused by changing weather conditions. Your smart thermostat will continuously make small adjustments to keep your home comfortable and your HVAC units running smoothly.