Heating and cooling your home require a great deal of energy. By controlling the temperature both when you are around or away can mean so much in terms of energy savings. The energy-saving thermostat is one of the most celebrated inventions in the HVAC industry because it helps in regulating the temperatures to save you money on utility bills.
Many homeowners simply turn their heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems on and off when they want to be warmer or colder. Some of them even go ahead to leave the system on when they are going away so that as they come back the temperature can be within their preferred level. One thing you need to realize is that apart from the money spent and the energy wasted, leaving your HVAC system running all the time makes it prone to breakdowns and repairs. It also lowers its performance over time.
If you have a central air conditioning system, installing a programmable thermostat can help you save on energy and still maintain your home within the right temperature even when you are away. A programmable thermostat costs a little bit more compared to a regular thermostat, but the benefits will pay off over time.
Setting a Programmable Thermostat
Set the programmable thermostat in such a way that it shuts off the HVAC system automatically when you leave the house and turn it back on about 30 minutes before your expected arrival. In this way, you will find the house in the right temperature.
When you are heating the house, you can program the thermostat to reduce the temperature after about 30 or 60 minutes after you turn in for the night. In case you are cooling the house, then you will need to increase the temperature. This is because once you sleep; you will not need much heating or cooling to keep you comfortable. You can program the thermostat to return to its heating or cooling mode 20 or 30 minutes before you wake up.
For the weekdays and weekends, you can set the thermostat differently to accommodate your schedule. This means, when you are at home during the weekends, you will not need to worry about discomfort because the thermostat will take care of the needed heating or cooling.
When you are planning to go out of town for a long time, it’s advisable that you override the normal thermostat programming and shut down everything until you come back. However, if you are living in very cold climates and you fear your pipes may freeze, ensure your temperatures don’t fall below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, if you are leaving pets behind, ensure you don’t shut down the system completely.
A programmable thermostat is, therefore, a real energy and money saver. Always be on the lookout for daily changes in temperature and readjust your programmable thermostat settings accordingly.
