The pros and cons of Internet-enabled home heating systems

Networked or Internet enabled home heating systems than can be controlled remotely via a smartphone have been around for a while now, yet many people don't use them. — BDH/dpa

Networked or Internet-enabled home heating systems than can be controlled remotely via a smartphone have been around for a while now, yet many people don't use them. What are the pros and cons of such smart-home devices?

Firstly, a networked heating system can be more efficient. Specialist programs can analyse the system's data and can then ascertain, for example, if the temperature is too high, says Matthias Wagnitz from a heating industry association in Germany.

There's also the advantage that a repair person with access to the system can analyse any problems and then order a spare part or just reset the system remotely. That can save you the cost of a visit.

That is "absolutely an improvement in service," says technical inspector Guenter Martin. However, it may mean that you have to commit yourself to a contract with a particular repair person.

A major argument made by the manufacturers of these heating systems is the convenience they offer. Users can turn them on as they leave work and get home to find the house or apartment already warm.

However, not everyone needs this, Wagnitz believes. "It's a comfort if you have unstable working hours," he says. "So if you don't always know when you'll get home or may have occasional business trips."

For people with consistent hours they can always set a usage profile on a traditional, non-networked heating system so that the heating comes on at a particular time every day.

An Internet-enabled system does offer other advantages. "If the heating takes into account weather forecasts and learns, for example, that the solar heating system will be producing free hot water from noon today, then it can shut down the system in the morning once everyone's out of the house," Wagnitz says.

Such precise controls allow cost savings of 15% compared to analogue heaters, a study in Germany found.

One potential downside of networked heating systems is data security. "It could happen, for example, that a criminal manipulates the device," says Wagnitz. "Or that data is evaluated by criminals to see when the occupant is away."

At the same time he believes there's a "reasonable level of safety" among manufacturers.

Tuev expert Guenter Martin also considers the systems basically safe from hacker attacks. "If the WiFi is well secured, the smart heaters are also secured," he says.

However, he notes another potential problem: some companies store or resell user data for advertising purposes. He advises users to clarify upfront how manufacturers deal with their data. – dpa