A programmable thermostat has the potential to significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs, but you have to know where to install it, how to use it, and which model is best for you.
Types Of Programmable Thermostat
- 7-day programmable thermostats are the most flexible type. They allow you to create different schedules for each day of the week.
- 5+1+1 models are the best thermostats if you have a set schedule on weekdays, a different schedule on Saturdays and yet another on Sundays.
- 5+2 thermostats are the least flexible, but the easiest to program. They let you create one schedule for weekdays and another for the weekend.
Thermostat Location
- Locate your programmable thermostat on an interior wall, away from windows and doors. Otherwise, the thermostat’s efficiency can be diminished by drafts or direct sunshine.
- Don’t install a thermostat near heating and cooling vents; this can confuse your system and make it think your house is warmer or colder than it actually is.
- Don’t put heat-producing appliances like lamps, TVs and computers near your thermostat.
Settings And Programming Tips
- You can probably save money with a programmable thermostat’s factory settings, but don’t shy away from changing the settings to fit your own specific needs and preferences.
- Programmable thermostats generally work best in winter if you set the temperature lower at times when everyone is asleep or nobody is home. In summer, the opposite is true.
- Assuming you work during the day and sleep at night, you can save money during the heating season by programming your thermostat to heat your home to 70 degrees in mornings and evenings, but keep it no warmer than 60 at night and in the middle of the day.
- Don’t keep the temperature in your house lower than 55 degrees at any time, or else you run the risk of frozen pipes.
For more information on programmable thermostats, contact Roth Heating & Cooling. We’ve been serving the Portland area since 1976.
