Beat the heat: Air conditioning vs. blind controls for your smart home

09 August 2023

With a record-breakingly hot summer across Europe, we're struggling to keep our homes cool. When looking for news ways - or trying to optimize our current methods - to manage our indoor environment, smart technology naturally comes into play. Air conditioning as well as smart blind controls offer their users a solution to create their own perfectly cooled space.

Shared convenience features between two smart cooling solutions

Though there are significant differences between the two technologies, it's important to note that air conditioning and shutters share similar functionalities, which are functionalities that can be found in smart technologies in general.

Both smart integrations are remotely controlled, allowing forgetful homeowners to manage their indoor environment straight from work or any other place. A well-prepared homeowner can add personalized automations and schedules to either integration. This way, you can plan in advance when your blinds should close at a specific time or schedule your air conditioning turns on when you're 10 minutes away from home.

If you are currently considering investing in a smart cooling solution, read on as we list the pros and points to consider for each integration.

Smart air conditioning: Climate control at its quickest

Air conditioning, regular or smart, allows homeowners to control their indoor environment ad hoc. Activating the unit for only 10 minutes will significantly cool down your room. Its effectivity is undeniable, but the energy consumption is also quite considerable during extreme summer weather. This is where smart technology comes in.

As smart air conditioning systems provide real-time data and insights into energy usage, temperature trends, and system performance, the homeowner is enabled to

  • make informed decisions about their cooling practices,
  • identify potential issues and defects,
  • take proactive measures in managing and optimizing energy use.

To summarize, smart air conditioning is a great way to keep your energy usage under control (and even reduce it), while enjoying the comfort of a quickly chilled living space during hot summer days.

Smart blind control: An energy-efficient approach to cooling

Having your air conditioning on 24/7 could be very effective in beating the heat, but it will consume a lot of energy and will make your energy bill rise. Smart blind control is a more proactive approach to climate control as it requires homeowners to keep the heat out before it can be felt. In that regard, keep in mind that shutters won't cool your home, they simply form a barrier against the warmth.

Outdoor installed units can, however, suffer from scorching temperatures. Just like us, they tend to overheat after extreme exposure, resulting in a malfunctioning when closing the shutters in the afternoon. This can easily be prevented by scheduling the blinds to go down a little sooner.

Read up on our favorite solutions for smart blind controls

The synergy of smart air conditioning, blind control and other smart integrations

No cooling application has it all, so combining both will provide you with the most beneficial outcome. The low need of energy of smart blinds perfectly merges with the quick cooling relief of airconditioning, but why stop there?

Homeowners can automate the coordination between smart air conditioning and smart blinds through schedules, sensors, weather stations, or integrated smart home hubs. This automation eliminates the need for manual adjustments, providing a hassle-free experience and ensures that the home remains comfortable without constant intervention or monitoring.

So it's up to you to decide how smart technology can help you cool your home.

Further reading