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Tado smart thermostats get a clever app update

Tado has update its smart thermostat control app with an energy-saving new feature that knows if you've opened a window

Rich Brown Former Senior Editorial Director - Home and Wellness
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
Expertise Smart home, Windows PCs, cooking (sometimes), woodworking tools (getting there...)
Rich Brown
2 min read

European smart thermostat maker Tado has a clever update to its mobile app that I'd like to see other thermostat makers copy immediately.

When either the Tado thermostat or the Tado Smart Radiator controller detects a big temperature swing in your home, it will interpret that as either a door or a window opening. If your heat is on and you get a rush of cold air, Tado's app will dial the heat down automatically on the assumption you'd like your home to be cooler. The thermostat will do the same to your air conditioning if it detects a sudden blast of warm air.

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Rich Brown/CNET

Depending on the layout of your home and the design of your HVAC system, it's very possible that you might want to throw the doors open on a warm day, even if you have a robust central air system. My family has opened our back doors multiple times during this relatively mild summer here in Louisville. If our Nest thermostat was smart enough to adapt to that rapid temperature change on the fly, it  would automatically help us save a little money.

Among other updates to Tado's app via the Smart Climate Assistant update include a Repair Service button to help you reach out to a local HVAC contractor, along with a newly adjustable geofencing radius and a new visualization of the climate adaptation feature that signals the thermostat to adapt its settings to the outside weather conditions.

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