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Do Programmable Thermostats Save You Money?
Programmable thermostats are a great way to manage your comfort at home as well as your heating and cooling energy use. You can even get one that reminds you to change the air filter in your HVAC system. Here are the four main benefits of a programmable thermostat:
1. Saves money
The main way a programmable thermostat saves money is by reducing the amount of energy used for heating and cooling your home while you are away or asleep. For example, setting the thermostat to lower the temperature during the day when you are at work, raise it when you are home in the evening, and lower it again overnight makes it effortless to cut your heating bill. For every degree you lower the temperature in winter or raise it in summer, you can save up to 2 percent on your utility bill. Your home is still comfortable, but you aren’t paying for that comfort when you don’t need it, and you don’t have to remember to adjust the thermostat each time. Avoid using the override option on the thermostat, though. Keep in mind that 68 degrees Fahrenheit in winter and 78 degrees Fahrenheit in summer are the perfect temperatures to keep you comfortable and save on energy while you are home. If you raise or lower the temperature beyond those settings, you could end up spending more on energy bills (even when you raise/lower the temperature at other times). To maximize savings, create a schedule that fits your family’s routine to keep the temperature cool or warm while you’re there, and stick to it.
2. Comfort
Regardless of the temperature outside, your programmable thermostat effortlessly maintains the perfect, consistent temperature throughout your home. There’s no need to crank up the air conditioner during a heat wave or the furnace during a cold snap.
3. Convenience
A programmable thermostat allows for precise temperature management and a wide range of programming options. Most programmable thermostats have pre-programmed settings as well as the ability to customize settings so adjusting the temperature to your personal preferences, lifestyle and schedule is easy to do. Most have the flexibility to create and store settings for each day of the week. In addition, the thermostat can be adjusted for both heating and cooling seasons.
4. Simplicity
Once you set the thermostat, managing your comfort and energy use happens automatically.
Consider these other features when choosing a programmable thermostat:
- Backlighting and digital display
- Voice or phone programming
- Hold and vacation features
- Air filter change indicator light
- System malfunction indicator light
- Adaptive or smart recovery technology that senses the time needed to reach a given temperature within a set amount of time.
