My husband and I recently made some inexpensive updates to our home that have made a huge improvement in comfort, budget and energy efficiency. We hired an HVAC contractor to take a close look at the heating and cooling system and make some recommendations. We wanted to make sure the furnace and air conditioner were working at maximum capacity and hopefully, trim our monthly energy bills a bit. After inspecting the heating and cooling equipment, the HVAC technician recommended that we install a smart thermostat and zone control. This project was not all that expensive, and has certainly paid for itself in energy savings. A series of valves were inserted in the ductwork to regulate the amount of heated or cooled air delivered to the various rooms. We no longer need to maintain one temperature throughout the whole house. Independent thermostats allows us to customize the temperature in each room. We avoid paying to heat or cool empty rooms to the ideal temperature, and family members can customize comfort in their bedrooms to personal preference. Plus, the wifi thermostat allows access to settings and programs from virtually anywhere. With a tap of my finger on my smartphone, I can easily raise or lower temperature. If our schedule changes and my family is kept away from home longer than expected, I adjust the thermostat to conserve energy. If the kitchen feels a bit overheated, I can target cooling to that particular room without affecting the rest of the house. The upgrade into wifi connectivity and zoned control have lessened strain on the furnace and air conditioner while improving overall comfort.