"Why is the temperature on my thermostat different than my SmartSense device?"

We get asked this question a lot. Your thermostat may display one temperature while your SmartSense sensor might display something different. How can that be? It's because temperature in any location is a constantly changing 3 dimensional gradient. To ensure accurate temperature monitoring, ask yourself:

What am I trying to monitor the temperature of?

It seems like a silly question, but what are you actually trying to measure? Are you trying to take the temperature of the air in a room? Are you trying to measure the temperature of food in a refrigerator? How will your monitoring system be set up? These are factors to consider when looking at temperature monitoring systems, because some are designed for specific applications and environments.

What kind of thermometer do I need for my monitoring? 

This question will help you decide what kind of temperature monitoring you need. Some thermometers have accuracy of within 0.01 degrees Celsius, while others may be within 10 degrees Celsius, so depending on what it you’re measuring, one might be more effective than another.

You may also need calibration/measurement certifications. For example, when storing certain foods or vaccines, you may be required to have documentation showing that your temperature monitoring is accurate, so check to see if certification/calibration is available for the system you choose.

Am I effectively measuring what I think I’m measuring?

Let’s say you need to measure the temperature of a room. If your sensor is not positioned correctly, you will receive readings correct for that specific spot, but which may be wildly different than the rest of the room. To prevent this, ensure your probe is not close to a heater, a window that gets a lot of sunlight, or a drafty window? Today's digital sensors are highly accurate and respond to temperature changes very quickly, so too much sunlight and/or heat can affect the reading quickly.

For learn more about how to get accurate temperature readings, check out two of our white papers: Why isn’t the sensor reading the same as my thermostat? and Considerations for temperature sensor deployment in critical environments.