If your home is outfitted with a programmable thermostat, you've already taken an important step toward saving energy and money. However, if you're not sure how to program or use this modern device, you're missing out on the potential benefits. These include both greater energy efficiency and enhanced convenience.
How Does a Programmable Thermostat Differ from a Standard Thermostat?
It's all about control. With an older, manual thermostat, you have to adjust temperature settings by hand. If you forget to adjust the thermostat for when you're not home or are sleeping, the temperature setting remains at whatever point you last set it. With a programmable thermostat, you can program temperature changes to match your daily and weekly schedules. Typically, people will lower (or raise, in the summer) the temperature while they're at work or school during the day, and then program the temperature to return to their comfort level shortly before they expect to arrive home.
Three Different Types of Programming Options:
7-day. This is the most versatile model, allowing a separate program to be set for each day of the week.
5-2-day. You'll be able to have one program for five days (usually the weekdays) and a separate program that applies to Saturday and Sunday.
5-1-1-day. Resembling the 5-2 model, it allows a separate schedule for one weekend day and another schedule for the other weekend day, with the other five days set to the same schedule.
Save Energy by Following these Guidelines:
Try to schedule energy-saving setbacks for a minimum of eight hours for maximum savings. Frequently adjusting temperatures will handicap your efforts to save money.
Avoid overriding temperature settings as seldom as possible. This just defeats the purpose of your programmable thermostat.
Let the thermostat save energy and money while you're on vacation, by keeping the temperature eight to 15 degrees higher/lower than your comfort level. There's no reason to fully heat or cool a home when nobody's home for the week.
For more advice on optimum usage of your Broken Arrow home's programmable thermostat, please contact us at Air Assurance.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “marinini/Shutterstock”