6 Reasons to Use a Programmable Thermostat

Programmable thermostats represent a true breakthrough in home or commercial climate control technology. If you haven’t already made the switch, you truly don’t know what you’re missing.

In comparison to manual mechanical models, programmable thermostats offer the following benefits:

#1 Enhanced Temperature Control

Automatic temperature adjustments mean you don’t have to make changes by hand. With a manual thermostat, if you forget to turn the thermostat up or down at the appropriate time, the house will get too hot or too cold and you’ll be left trying to play catch-up later.

This never happens with a programmable thermostat, since your HVAC system will always be locked in on the temperature settings you prefer.

#2 Significant Financial Savings

When you turn down your air conditioner or turn up your furnace by one degree, it will reduce your utility bills by approximately two percent. Since you can program your HVAC system to shift temperatures north or south based on your occupancy habits, it is quite easy to save money by making these small modifications.

#3 Greater Comfort and Convenience

When you can customize the temperature in your home down to the minute, with no possibility for deviation, you can guarantee round-the-clock comfort. And what could be more convenient than a thermostat that shuts your heating and cooling equipment on and off on a pre-selected schedule, with no necessity of making manual changes?

Of course, if you do decide to alter your pre-programmed thermostat settings, you can do so with a hand-held remote control or by WiFi, which is about as convenient as it gets.

#4 Impressive Savings in Energy Consumption

You can maximize your energy savings by personalizing your HVAC use based on your living and home occupancy habits. Cuts in energy consumption of 20-30 percent could be possible, if you program your thermostat to let your furnace or air conditioner rest when you’re sleeping, at work, outdoors, away for the weekend or off on vacation.

Needless to say, you can also save a lot of money following this sage advice.

#5 Time-Saving Operation

With a manual thermostat, you literally have to remain on-call 24 hours a day if you want to adjust indoor temperatures to effectively balance comfort and energy savings.

Thankfully, this level of involvement is unnecessary with a programmable thermostat. Essentially, you can set it and forget it, which can save you a lot of time if your temperature preferences change frequently throughout the day.

#6 Less Wear and Tear on Your HVAC System

No matter how hard you try to stay on course, with manual temperature control you’ll end up using your furnace and air conditioner more than you should. The only way to keep your home comfortable when you’re there and awake is to run your HVAC system even when you’re neither, at least some of the time.

Programmable thermostats eliminate this necessity, and less weekly hours in operation will inevitably reduce repairs and lengthen your HVAC equipment’s lifespan.

How to Program Your Programmable Thermostat

The U.S. Department of Energy has issued programming guidelines that will help you get the most out of your programmable thermostat. And when we say ‘get the most out of,’ we mean subtract the least out of your pocketbook or bank account.

To boost energy savings and save money on your utility bills, you should:

1. Set your thermostat to 68 degrees when you’re home in the winter, and lower it by 10-15 degrees while you’re asleep or away.

2. Set your thermostat at 78 degrees when you’re home in the summer and keep the air conditioner off when you’re not there. Raising your settings 3-5 degrees while you sleep could be an option, if it doesn’t compromise your comfort level too much.

3. Program temperature changes to start 20-30 minutes before you leave or are scheduled to arrive home. Program the thermostat to start raising or lowering temperatures about an hour before you plan to go to bed at night, and about 30 minutes before you get up in the morning.

The Department of Energy estimates that such actions will save you about 15 percent on energy costs. But this is only an average and could be greater if your current energy-use practices are highly inefficient.

ABE Heating and Cooling Knows Programmable Thermostats

At ABE Heating and Cooling, we’re enthusiastic about the money-saving and comfort-enhancing potential of programmable thermostats. We are located in Brighton, Colorado and serve the entire Denver Metro Area, and if you contact us today we can explain more about how this smart technology works and introduce you to the currently available options. ABE can affordably handle all your programmable thermostat needs, from purchase through professional installation.