A programmable thermostat is ideal for homeowners who want complete control over the temperature in their homes. These nifty little devices give you the power to determine what temperature you want your home to be at any given time. For example, if you get out of bed at 6 a.m., you can set the programmable thermostat to 72 degrees at 5:45 a.m. so your home will be warm when you wake up.Even though programmable thermostats can increase your home’s energy efficiency, make sure you’re using them correctly to ensure you’re getting the maximum energy savings available.
- Set the thermostat at energy-saving temperatures for an extended period of time. For example, lower the temperature during the night while you’re in bed and during the day when no one’s home.
- Overriding the pre-programmed settings can actually increase your energy use and cause a rise in your energy costs.
- Refrain from using the hold/permanent/vacation option for your day-to-day life and only use it when the house will be empty for an extended period of time. When using this feature, set the temperature to several degrees warmer in the summer or several degrees cooler in the winter to prevent the HVAC unit from kicking on and wasting energy.
- Don’t turn the HVAC unit up higher or lower to heat or cool the house faster. Thermostats will begin heating or cooling your home at the set time. Turning the thermostat up to 95 degrees or down to 30 degrees won’t reach the desired temperature faster. Instead, set the
- programmable thermostat and leave it, letting it do its job.
Use a thermostat for every zone in your home. Using only one thermostat wastes energy and money since most homes have at least one or two rooms that don’t require the same temperature as other areas.
For more information about programmable thermostats and how your home can benefit from proper use, contact the professionals at Wolff Mechanical. We are a full-service heating, air conditioning and solar provider serving the central Arizona area for over 20 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Phoenix Valley area of Arizona about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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