Google is aiming to make its Nest smart thermostats smarter with a new capability that lets you know when the HVAC systems in your home may be experiencing problems. The thermostats will use historical data and current weather data for your location to identify problems, such as your home heating up slower than usual.
The idea is that these issues can often go unnoticed until the HVAC system breaks completely, which can leave users without heating in times of need. By detecting smaller changes in the expected behavior of your HVAC system, Nest could help prevent larger issues. Google warns that there are problems it won"t be able to catch, but it hopes that user feedback and time will help the company improve the detection systems.
In order to provide further help, Google will also try to help users get in touch with HVAC professionals to resolve any problems they might have. The company is partnering with Handy to get customers in touch with professionals who can service their systems, though this feature is only available in select areas. To start off, Google says booking a professional through Handy will be available in 20 Metro areas including Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego. More regions will be supported as time goes on.
To start getting alerts about your HVAC systems, you"ll need to sign up for Nest Home Report, which will send you an email every month with the summary of your Nest activity for that month. Any alerts will be included in that email.