Temperature Monitor vs Change from standard Thermostat to Ecobee 3 for Smart phone
 

I have a CYV about 5 yo. I am at my villa early Nov-. end of Mar each year. This past summer my AC compressor topped working when I discovered it by a friend stopping by and finding that the house temp was higher than setting by about 5 degrees. I flew down and in about 4 days all was corrected and a new compressor was installed.

If I had an Ecobee installed I would have had a message on my smart cell, but as I understand the way they function is that it detects the dysfunction thru the wifi system. Currently, I have my internet/wifi on seasonal when I am not there and it decreases my Comcast bill significantly.

Questions:
1. How can I have info about the temp in my villa whenever I need it?
2. Can I just get a temp monitor, like one for an RV or a green house, that will give me that info using my cell phone, but not need wifi?
3. Does the Ecobee require the wifi to be on all the time or can I still have it put on the seasonal use and get the seasonal discount?
4. I've seen online some units from "NectoRV" or "Govee" that monitor the temp and humidity.

What I need is the info, if something is amiss while I am away. No matter how I get that info, I'd have to fly in to have the repair work done and that is no problem. It's trying to find the advantages of the Ecobee vs the other kind of product that does not raise or lower the temps, but rather just tells me of a problem.

Please know God gave me no technical, electrical, or mechanical abilities, but rather He gave me other talents. So I am grateful for any and all of your suggestions to help me figure out what changes I need to make when I arrive back down there in a week or so.
Thanks for your help. Have a great weekend coming up.

Almost everything that makes notifications require the internet/wifi.
There might be something that uses the cellular network, but I would think that would be more expensive that keeping your internet on.

The Comcast/Xfinity seasonal plan I am on still has a low bandwidth wifi available. Charge is ~$30 a month when I am up north. That allows my ecobee, cameras, and Hygrometer to work.

The ecobee can alert to your phone on high/low temp and high/low humidity. It must have wi-fi to work. You can also control the settings from your phone (turn down/up temp). There are many other wi-fi thermostats that can do the same. Sometimes the utility company will give you one for no or low costs.

I also us a wi-fi Hygrometer, it also can alert on high/low temp or humidity to your phone. The reason I use this in addition to Ecobee, is that it shows historical data for a day/week/month/year. The Ecobee will alert you, but you can only see a point in time when you pull it up on the phone. Probably overkill, but I am a geek.

My Hygrometer happens to be:
Govee WiFi Thermometer Hygrometer H5179 - $~30 on Amazon
There are many others, just need to be a wi-fi model.

If you are close enough to pick up a neighbors wi-fi signal.. in the off season, you could ask to connect to their network while you are up north....

Or just ask your neighbor to check it once a week.

You can achieve what you want; but the solution is a little techie. You do NOT need an internet connection.

Instead, the signal will be sent through the airwaves using Amazon’s “Sidewalk” network. As long as you have a neighbor within 1/4 mile or so of you with a recent Amazon device (like a Ring doorbell) you can use this network for free. The Amazon Sidewalk network now covers 90% of the USA and that includes The Villages.

You need one of these devices:
Amazon.com

This device has a temperature sensor built in and can alert you when the temperature exceeds a threshold. You would also need a device like an Amazon Echo 4th gen in the home that you are monitoring temperature. Please note: Normally the Amazon Echo requires an internet connection. But in this case, it will be working in “Sidewalk Bridge” mode and ONLY needs AC power. It will be sending radio signals to other nearby “Bridges” to send your temperature signal.

More info here:
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Sidewa...de=21328123011

The Amazon reviews for the sensor is not very good. But that is because they were trying to use it without a nearby Bridge. That is why you need and Amazon Eco 4th gen or latest Ring doorbell as your bridge

I have ecobee and it works on Wifi, I also have ring camera doorbell, also works on WiFi. Internet cost $30 per month after 6 years, never disconnected. I was watching the peak of the hurricane on my front lawn from 2000 miles away. I know when my property minder comes, or the lawn mowers, what they do etc anytime.

Temp. Monitor
 

We are seasonal about 6/6. TV and northern WI (which can hit -25f at times).
In TV we have Ecobee works great, but WIFI stays on as we also have cameras.
For house we have a "MarCell" temp. monitor that works via cell phone, not WIFI.
MarCell doesn't control anything, just monitors temp/humidity, it works great for that.
Haven't had a temp. drop yet, but if happens can call a heating service co.
Need to buy MarCell, monthly fee is about $11.95/mo. only use it during freezing months.
Both of these systems provides us good re-assurance while away.

You buy an ecobee for its realtime smart logic, so an internet of some sort is needed, get something with slow speeds to save money. Ecobee offers you many reports each month or in realtime. You need an iPad and the option in ecobee is Home IQ. Not sure if anybody would need more reporting than these. You will get alerts automatically if your thresholds like humidity is reached. If you are a snowbird, then you must turn on eco+. This will provide you savings.

My whole house is automated and if I was a snowbird, my house would be automated too. For example, you can buy devices that you put under each sink, laundry room, and kitchen that alerts you if it senses water. Better yet, if any of these water senses gets wet, it can automatically turn on a device that shuts off you main water supply so you don’t come home in a flooded house.

Ecobee Data
 

FYI...I have an Ecobee (house built in 2020) and can access historical data from the thermostat which includes indoor/outdoor temperature, humidity, and system run times. I can find this on my iPad and PC, but not on my Android phone. All data can be downloaded to a spreadsheet if you desire. The data is found on the app/website under a section titled "HomeIQ".

There are several inexpensive security cameras available on Amazon that do not require wifi. You could buy one of these camera and point it at the wall thermostat. Then you can view the house temperature and thermostat setting on your smart phone anytime from anywhere. Just a thought.

How do the cameras communicate if not by WiFi?

They have a SIM card and use a cellular network. But, apparently, you can get a very inexpensive cell plan that will be cheaper than internet service or your regular cellphone plan. There are different options, but I have seen services for as low as $5 per month.

Thanks Accidental1, I logged on to my Ecobee account and found these reports, they show when furnace and AC and fan alone are running - as well as temp and humidity levels, I also have a northern home and these will help me monitor furnace run time when I am in the villages or the AC running in the villages when I am up north. As you stated, these aren't available via the phone app. Thanks for posting!

I am wondering same thing. Solar maybe but inside house?

It seems to me the price of paying for internet 12 mo a year is literally pennies compared to it’s protection for a $300,000+ asset.

Daniel200, We tuned off the sidewalk function. Too intrusive.

Interesting.

Thanks.

Thanks all. I think I will be getting the
"Necto RV Temperature & Humidity Monitor - [4G LTE] No Monthly Fees and No WiFi Required - Power Outage Sensor, Instant Alerts, for Pet Safety & Home
Visit the NECTO Store
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 143 ratings | Search this page
Amazon's
Choice" I am hoping this will be the correct choice. I may also get the Govee for when in I leave FL to return to NH for summer.

Leaves are almost history here. Thanks for all your help and pointers.

If *I* was a snowbird (actually, I am), I would just shut the water main off before I leave, making the need for a sensor unnecessary. The only exception might be the water heater.

Thank you for providing the specific model of your thermometer to test for humidity. We just recently had the ecobee installed and every day I get 5 to 6 alerts that my humidity is too high. Even though the house doesn’t feel it. So this will help me determine whether the thermostat is correct or not.

Low bandwidth internet for security
 

We have low bandwidth Comcast/Xfinity year-round in The Villages and it works just fine even for TVs...So, you'll have to fight them to get lower $30 rate....

Thanks for tip on hydrometer. The Nest thermostat and Honeywell thermostat don't do a good job tracking actual humidity levels. When the furnace blower motor failed, the observed humidity did not change...