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Category: Tech & Automation
By: Priya Nair
Reply by Daniel Kowalski:
Smart thermostats are one of the highest-ROI investments in STR. Here's my exact setup: **Ecobee Smart Thermostat settings:** **Guest Mode (occupied):** - Cooling: 68-76°F range (guests can adjust within this range only) - Heating: 62-74°F range - I use the "temperature hold" feature to prevent guests from setting below 68°F - Schedule: 72°F during day, 70°F at night **Away Mode (between guests):** - Cooling: 80°F (prevents mold/humidity without over-cooling) - Heating: 55°F (prevents pipe freezing) - Activates automatically via PMS integration (when no booking is active) **Pre-arrival Mode (day of check-in):** - Starts 2 hours before check-in time - Ramps to 72°F so property is comfortable on arrival - Triggered by Zapier automation from booking calendar **My savings:** - Before smart thermostat: $380/month average (summer) - After: $220/month average - **Savings: ~$160/month = $1,920/year** - Thermostat cost: $180 - **ROI: 1 month** **The guest education part:** I include a note by the thermostat: "For your comfort, the thermostat is set to 72°F. If you'd like to adjust, please keep settings between 68-76°F to prevent system overload. ❄️ Thank you!" Most guests respect the boundaries. The ones who don't can only adjust within the locked range anyway.
Reply by Tony Russo:
The game-changer for me was the humidity sensing feature. In humid climates, you need to keep the AC running even when vacant to prevent mold. The Ecobee monitors humidity and will kick on the AC if humidity exceeds 60%, even in Away Mode. This prevented a mold issue that would've cost thousands to remediate. The few dollars in electricity to maintain 55% humidity between guests is nothing compared to mold remediation.