Any Austinite will tell you that the only thing more consistent than traffic here in the capital city is crazy weather. One minute it’s freezing cold and windy as all get out and the next, the sun is shining and you’re shedding your layers in utter confusion.
How much can the weather change in one day in Texas?
Though it doesn’t happen that often, weather changes in Texas can be extreme and quick. I can best illustrate this with two examples.
During my first year of working in Austin, one day in late November 2006, it was about 72 degrees F in the morning around 10:00 am, when I overheard a teacher say it was below freezing in Temple. (Temple was many miles to the north.) I thought she must have been crazy. Within the hour it was below freezing in Austin as well.
I once drove from Houston to Amarillo about 2007 in June. About 30 miles north or so, I was watching a dust devil swirl around in a ranch corral off to the left. Less than a mile later, it was raining so hard I had to slow down below 50 mph.
Why?
Weather systems can move pretty fast, so weather probably can change quickly just about anywhere, but in Texas, it might happen more quickly because the state has such varied climates over a relatively short distance. Within 8 hours of driving time of the Gulf Coast, you can be driving in near desert in west Texas. The southeast part of the state is humid, while the western part is much drier. The southern tip is tropical, while the only thing between Amarillo and the North Pole is a barb wire fence.
Abrupt weather changes may keep life interesting but they sure aren’t doing your energy bill any favors. Whether you’re constantly changing the thermostat and paying the price each month or suffering through whatever the weather brings for the sake of environmental impact, there is a smarter way.
Smarter Homes installations use all low-voltage wiring. That means that all the way from production to installation, we are minimizing emissions and going as green as we can. On top of that, we can equip you with energy monitoring capabilities so that you can begin to understand what’s draining energy, when, and how. This puts you in control because it gives the power of knowledge.
We also install smart thermostats. With a smart HVAC system, you can program and schedule your home’s temperature in a way that makes sense – fit to the season and time of day. Why leave it running when no one is home or the weather is perfect? No need. If the weather has a total mood swing, as she is want to do, you can change your home’s settings conveniently from your mobile device. That means even if you aren’t home, you’re still in control.
Plus – heat up your jacuzzi, manage irrigation, open the gate, and unlock doors for guests remotely from your device, whether you’re home or not!
Don’t let Texas weather have the upper hand; OutSMART it with Smarter Homes.
