Cool down this summer with new Nest thermostat features: Sunblocking, new cooling options, and more

The Nest smart thermostat continues to get smarter with every software update.

Nest Labs announced the thermostat’s latest update today, which packs in several features that should make the sweltering summer heat more bearable. And as with all of Nest’s updates so far, the new features even work for the early adopters who picked up the first version of the thermostat.

Here’s a rundown of the new stuff:

Sunblock: This helps you avoid issues that may arise from direct sunlight hitting the Nest. Typically, this could lead to overcooling in the summer and underheating in the winter. Nest relies on its light sensor to tell when it’s in direct sunlight, and it adjusts its settings to compensate when the sun is beaming down. 

“Now you can basically put the Nest wherever you want with no worry,” said Maxime Veron, the head of Nest’s product marketing, in an interview with VentureBeat earlier this month.

Advanced Fan Control: Gives Nest owners more control over how their fans run. You could let your fan run throughout the night to bring in cool air or at intermittent times during the day to keep the air fresh.

Cool to Dry: A feature designed for extremely humid climates, this lets Nest optimize your air conditioner to keep your home from getting too humid. It’s more efficient than letting your AC run all day, and it could help you avoid pesky mold problems.

Intriguingly, the feature takes advantage of a humidity sensor that’s been in the Nest since day one. Before the sensor was just used to maintain comfort levels — now it’s powering an entirely new feature.

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Nest’s “auto-away” functionality has also been improved, and updated mobile apps enable you to change the temperature with a mock scroll roll rather than just boring arrows. The new Nest software also adds Auto-Tune, which enables Nest owners to save money on their cooling costs under certain energy providers.