Nest Thermostat

We had a programmable thermostat in the Midwest. When we moved to Capitol Hill our 1890’s building had a building wide HVAC system. The air conditioning and heat went on based on a seasonal schedule and didn’t usually meet our needs. The in home thermostat was very basic and hardly controlled the temperature either. Our new condo in northern Virginia came with a Carrier thermostat. It was very confusing to use and we could never adjust it to our liking. We finally decided to upgrade to a Nest thermostat and are so happy we did. We ordered it back in August but it didn’t get installed until last week. No one has time for anything these days. So when the fall routine HVAC maintenance was scheduled, that was finally included. We needed to get a round wall plate to cover the square leftover paint job of the old unit. All in all it looks nice, but I really like the functionality. The best part is controlling it via the app - both at home and away from home. This is a so called “learning” device so after a month or so it begins to program our usual habits. It took a while to get it connected to Wi-Fi because I wasn’t turning the the dial correctly - I was tapping it like an iPad. But the you tube videos and google information was really helpful. I hope it continues to work as nicely as it has. These days it doesn’t take much to get us excited. This little gadget did the trick and we hopefully will be even more energy efficient. 

 

Nest Thermostat

When we moved in to our northern Virginia condo over two years ago, it came with a Carrier thermostat. It was a programmable gadget, but unusually complex to set. Additionally, the house temperature is never what it should be and we are constantly getting up and down to adjust it. So we decided it was time to get it changed to something that can be managed through an app and is easy to use manually. The choice was between Honeywell and Nest. So I did a little research and we also asked our son if he liked his Nest thermostat. They do look sleek and would fit any decor. The Honeywell item looks more traditional. Anyway, we ended up getting a Nest that is now a third generation item. It’s a “learning” thermostat in that it is supposed to begin to automatically figure out your comfort levels. Our only problem is getting the tech here to install it. The same company that does our two times a year HVAC and water heater maintenance also installs thermostats. Everyone seems to be extremely busy and getting anything scheduled takes forever. In the meantime I also ordered a matching wall plate that surrounds the Nest to cover any wall damage from the current thermostat. Hopefully we won’t need to use it. Let’s hope we get this done soon. I have my doubts. 

Bald Eagle Nest - and Eagles - Along the GW Parkway

The other day on our way to taking the Subaru for a checkup along the GW Parkway, I noticed that the eagle nest that we have seen since we moved here was once again inhabited. But it was too late to get a photo, even though I tried! The large bird was just flying in to it! So we had to drive back today and check things out. The location is just past Alexandria, on the way to Mount Vernon, at Belle Haven Country Club. Beneath the huge tree is a golf course filled with golfers. There's been a lot of press about the new eaglets at the arboretum. The chicks just hatched there this week. I'm certain the same thing happened here. This time as we drove by, the proud parents were perched on either side of the nest above it. On our way back from the drive to Mount Vernon, only one bird was still perched, while the other one may have been out searching for dinner. When we first moved here ten years ago it was not uncommon to see the majestic birds flying all around the GW Parkway. The last few years we haven't seen anything - until today. It's pretty exciting to see them. I wish I could get a little closer!