Choose the Right Thermostat
Your thermostat controls half your energy bill and is the brains behind a heat pump, furnace, boiler, or central AC. According to the Department of Energy, if you set your thermostat back 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours, you can save 5 to 15 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills. Each degree accounts for a savings of as much as 1 to 2 percent when the setback period is eight hours long. Three common tstats are:
Standard, Non-Programmable Thermostats
These thermostats are simple devices that keep the temperature of your home at a fixed temperature until you manually adjust them.
Programmable Thermostats
Raise and lower the temperature automatically according to a schedule. According to the Energy Information Administration about 42 percent of U.S. homes use programmable thermostats—can also provide energy savings.
Smart Thermostats
Controlled by smart phones, tablets, computers or at the thermostat. No matter where you are, you can monitor and adjust the temperature of your home to accommodate your needs. A smart thermostat can shave about 8 percent off your home’s heating and cooling bills, according to Energy Star
Latest Trends
The world of thermostats moves at a much slower pace than those of more popular electronics, such as smartphones and computers, but there are still some notable changes happening in the industry.
We found Honeywell smart thermostats be superior.
Some employ multiple sensors to monitor temperatures in various parts of the home for more balanced heating or cooling. Some models track your temperature preferences and use that data to optimize your heating and cooling schedule.
How to Choose
Do you prefer a non-programmable or programmable or a smart thermostat?
Next consider your HVAC system. Do you have a single or two-stage system? Do you have a zoning system? Does your wiring need an upgrade? All these can decide what works for your heating and cooling equipment.
Contact PDM, the area’s oldest HVAC expert for advice and installation.
Setting Up A Programmable T-Stat Weekly Schedule from Energy.gov.
“Set it and forget it.” Set your temperatures based on the times you are normally home and your habits — and then you almost never have to bother with it.
Here’s how a weekday schedule might look for a family that are out of the house all day for work and school:
- 6:45 a.m.: The family wakes up to get ready for the day. Winter temperature of the house is 68°F; the heat automatically turned on a bit earlier so it would hit this temperature by 6:30. Summer setting 78°F or higher.
- 7:45 a.m.: The family leaves the house and the winter thermostat is set to 56°F. Summer daytime about 85°F. By turning their thermostat back 10° to 15° for 8 hours, the family can save 5% to 15% a year on their heating or cooling bill — a savings of as much as 1% for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long.
- 4:30 p.m.: The family starts returning home from work and school. The heat turned back on a bit before this so the house would again be 68°F for (winter) their return. Summer 78°F or higher.
- 10:30 p.m.: The whole family has gone to bed (bundled in warm pajamas and snuggled under blankets), and the thermostat is again set to 56°F. Summer temps as warm as you as you feel comfortable. Remember you can turn the thermostat fan “On”.
Note that for all of these temperature changes, the family never once touched the thermostat. At the beginning of the season, they programmed it once to follow this schedule and the changes happen automatically — and so do their savings. That’s important for busy people!
If you’d like to save energy in your home, schedule a convenient appointment.
