A programmable thermostat makes the important decisions about home comfort and energy efficiency for you. Whether you’re at home or away, awake or asleep, the programmable thermostat is adjusting the heat and coolness in your home to the level you choose. It knows how to make home comfort changes in the most energy-efficient way, gradually increasing or decreasing temperatures, so rooms will be at the right level at the time you use them. Installation of a programmable thermostat can pay for itself in a year and it keeps saving you money from then on. Here are six tips for reaping all the benefits:

  1. Utilize the thermostat’s built-in programs designed for maximum energy savings during long spans such as overnight or daytime hours when the home is unoccupied.
  2. If you need to briefly warm or cool the home outside of the programmed settings, use the temporary override function instead of erasing the existing settings. This will allow you to input one-time temperature changes that  automatically cancel at the next automatic program time.
  3. Use the “vacation hold” option when you’re going to be out of the home for several days. Set the temperatures for efficiency, not comfort: warmer in summer and cooler during winter. Program the day and time you’ll return and the system will have the home temperature back to normal when you walk in the door.
  4. Avoid inputting extreme temperature changes to quickly warm or cool the home. The programs are designed to start the heating/cooling process well in advance and make changes gradually.
  5. If your HVAC system uses zones to heat and cool different areas of the home, install a programmable unit in each zone for optimum comfort control and energy conservation.
  6. Most units are battery operated. Don’t forget to change the batteries once a year.

Wichita homeowners rely on Comfort Systems for year-round heating, air conditioning and plumbing expertise. Call us if you’re considering a programmable thermostat to increase convenience, comfort and energy efficiency in your home.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wichita, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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