Selecting And Setting Your Programmable Thermostat For Savings 24/7

Programmable thermostats are one of the easiest, most affordable ways to save energy. These thermostats allow you to precisely control the temperature inside your home, helping to reduce the amount of energy that is being wasted. Before buying a thermostat, ask yourself the following questions to select the perfect model for your needs:

• Does the thermostat offer enough flexibility for your schedule? For instance, can you program different settings for each day of the week?
• How many daily temperature changes can the thermostat handle?
• Does the thermostat offer any special features such as touch screen operation, notifications when your filter needs changing or voice controlled programming?

Along with selecting the right model, the key to saving money with programmable thermostats is to use them correctly. The following tips should help you realize significant energy savings:

• Save energy without sacrificing comfort: To maximize savings, program the thermostat to automatically lower the temperature while you are away from home or sleeping. Then, set it to raise the temperature back up again shortly before you arrive home or awaken. You probably won’t even notice the lower temperature, but you will definitely notice the lower energy bill at the end of the month.
• Choose the best location: Programmable thermostats work by measuring the temperature of the air that directly surrounds them. Because of this, if the surrounding air temperature is affected by cold drafts, warm sunlight or other catalysts that cause temperature fluctuations, the thermostat won’t perform correctly. To avoid this problem, install your thermostat on an interior wall far away from drafts, direct sunlight, vents and floor registers.
• Choose the right temperature: Energy Star recommends setting the temperature back by a minimum of eight degrees during the winter months when you are away from home or sleeping. During the summer months, they recommend setting the temperature at least seven degrees higher when you are out of the house, and four degrees higher when you are sleeping.

If you live in the Portland area and would like help choosing or installing a programmable thermostat, contact us at (503) 266-1249!