Thermostat Controls 50% of Your Utility Bills

Honeywell Programmable Thermostat Photo

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.

 

Latest Smart Thermostat Trends

Remote sensors. Some smart thermostats 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.

Geolocation tracks the location of your smartphone, lets the thermostat know when you are home or away so it can adjust your home’s temperature to save energy. Even adjust temperature before you arrive home

Control options. Touch controls, smartphone apps, even voice commands can adjust smart thermostats via a smart speaker that supports Amazon Alexa, Apple’s Siri, or Google Assistant.

Before buying, check compatibility on your HVAC manufacturer’s website. We found Honeywell smart thermostats to be a quality choice. Compatible with: Alexa, Google Assistant, If The Then That, Apple Home, Cortana, Samsung Smart Things.

 

T9 Honeywell Smart Thermostat, Sensor and Smart Phone

 

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 8 percent off your home’s heating and cooling bills, according to Energy Star.

 

 

Standard, Non-Programmable, Manual Thermostats

These thermostats are simple devices that keep the temperature of your home at a fixed temperature until you manually adjust them. This type of thermostat allows you to turn on the heating or cooling system, set the temperature, and operate the system fan.

 

 

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. You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.

 

 

How to Choose 

Do you prefer a non-programmable or programmable or a smart thermostat?

Next consider your HVAC system compatibility. Do you have a single or two-stage system? Do you have a zoning system? Does your thermostat wiring need an upgrade? All these can decide what thermostat works for your heating and cooling equipment.

 

Contact PDM, the area’s oldest HVAC expert for thermostat advice and installation.

 

 

Setting Up A Programmable Thermostat Weekly Schedule from Energy.gov.

If you never programmed your thermostat here is one way.

“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:

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.

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