黑料社区

You have听likely听heard that听having听a programmable thermostat can听reduce听your heating and cooling costs. While this is听certainly听true, you don’t听automatically听save just by听swapping out听your old manual thermostat for a programmable one. To听optimize听your savings, you听must听select, set up and use a programmable thermostat听effectively.

As reported by听the听, homeowners听can听save up to 10% on heating and cooling costs听if you use听a programmable thermostat to听automatically听change听the temperature 7 to 10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours听every听day. For the听average听home, this amounts to听around听$180 per year.听Try听these programmable thermostat tips to save the most on your heating and cooling听bills.

How to听Shop for听a Programmable Thermostat

As you听look at different听thermostats,听check听their compatibility with听the rest of your HVAC system.听As an example, radiant floor heating听can听call for听a different type of thermostat than one听created听for forced-air heating and cooling.

Then,听evaluate听the scheduling听controls. Most programmable thermostats have four daily programs—Wake, Leave, Home and Sleep, or something听similar.听Separate听models offer听varied听levels of control听during听the week. Here are the four听primary听options:

• 7-day programming听provides听a different schedule听every day. This is听best听if your family’s schedule听varies听regularly.
• 5-1-1 programming听offers听a weekday schedule and separate Saturday/Sunday schedules. This is听best听if your routine is听about the same听Monday through Friday but听different听on Saturday and Sunday.
• 5-2 programming听lets you set separate weekday and weekend schedules.
• 1-week programming听creates听one schedule for听the entire听week.

How to Set Up a Programmable Thermostat

The听capability听to听schedule听setback periods while听you're out of the house听or sleeping makes it听easier听to save energy with a programmable thermostat.听Create听the settings you听want听at the听start听of the season. While you can听determine听the times and temperatures that听are best听for your family’s听schedules, here’s how听the average听weekday schedule might听look:

• Wake at 7:00 am:听The thermostat听provides听a comfortable temperature in time for you to听start your day. The DOE听recommends听68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees听during听the summer.
• Leave at 8:00 am:听Program听the thermostat to听adjust听the temperature back 10 degrees听around听30 minutes before听leaving for work. This setting should be听about听58 degrees听during听the winter and 88 degrees听over听the summer.
• Home at 5:30 pm:听The automatic recovery听schedule听resumes听a comfortable temperature before you听are home for the day. This setting should be听about听68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees听during听the summer.
• Sleep at 10:30 pm:听Program the thermostat to the nighttime temperature听around听30 minutes before bed. This nighttime setting should be听set to听65 degrees in the winter and 80 degrees听through听the summer.

Getting Maximum Savings from a Programmable Thermostat

The best听aspect of听a programmable thermostat is that you can save energy without听sacrificing听comfort.听Try听these tips to get the most from your upgrade:

• Don't override听programmed settings:听You can always override the听set听temperature if you听are听uncomfortable.听That said, your energy usage will听increase听if you听constantly听change the settings.听Don听an extra layer in the winter or听turn on听a fan in the summer before听touching听the thermostat.
• Use the correct hold feature:听All programmable thermostats听allow听temporary overrides without deleting the听existing听setting. This is听referred to as a听“temporary hold,” which only听persists听until the next programmed time. The “permanent/vacation hold” is for when you听leave for longer periods. This overrides the settings indefinitely. The thermostat won’t听go back to听your regular schedule until you听manually听remove听the hold.
• Don’t make听steep听temperature changes:听When you must override a setting,听adjust听the thermostat by听just听a degree or two. You should feel more comfortable after making this听slight听adjustment while听preventing听the energy waste of听cranking听the temperature way up or down.
• Replace听the batteries:听Most programmable thermostats听use听batteries to听stop听the settings from being deleted听because of听a power outage. Make a habit of听checking听the batteries听yearly听at a time you can easily remember,听like听the new year or when the kids听return听to school in the fall.

Start Saving by Installing a Programmable Thermostat

If听you're ready听to set it and forget it,听call听黑料社区 for help听choosing听and installing a programmable thermostat. We can also听provide details听about听Wi-Fi programmable thermostats, which听offer听even more benefits听thanks to听remote temperature control, learning capabilities, motion sensors, auto-generated energy reports and more. For听more details听or to request a free thermostat assessment, please听contact听your local 听黑料社区 office听today.