Posted by Daniel Sinclair on Fri, Feb 05, 2010 @ 02:30 PM
When I ran service calls on a daily basis, I was asked a lot about programmable thermostats. The customer would ask me, "Do they really save money?" The answer to that question is, Yes!!! If you have ever left your house in a hurry and forgot to turn the light off, you probably forgot to adjust your thermostat. For example: If it is 100 degrees outside and you leave your thermostat set on 74 degrees, your air conditioning unit is going to run most of the day. You are spending money to cool your home at 74 degrees with no one there! With a programmable thermostat you can set it to 78 degrees when you leave for work and not have to worry about it running as much during the day (With no one at home). The key to saving money with your programmable thermostat is to stick to the schedule that you set. What I mean by that, is to create a schedule when you first get your thermostat and don't touch it for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks is up, you should be able to notice changes that you could make to the schedule, so that it fits your demands. A programmable thermostat is a big change from the old mercury turn-dial thermostats but let us help you and I promise it will save you money in the long run.
This is a great example and overview about a programmable thermostat from Energy Star:
Did you know that properly using a programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy, money, and help fight global warming? A programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by offering four pre-programmed settings to regulate your home's temperature in both summer and winter - when you are asleep or away.
- The pre-programmed settings that come with programmable thermostats are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort. Depending on your family's schedule, you can see significant savings by sticking with those settings or adjust them as appropriate for your family.
- The key is to establish a program that automatically reduces heating and cooling in your home when you don't need as much. Use the programmable thermostat calculator to see what you can save with set-back temperatures that work for your family. The pre-programmed settings for a programmable thermostat are:
Programmable Thermostat Setpoint Times & Temperatures| Setting | Time | Setpoint Temperature (Heat) | Setpoint Temperature (Cool) |
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| Wake | 6:00 a.m. | ≤ 70° F | ≥ 78° F |
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| Day | 8:00 a.m. | Setback at least 8° F | Setup at least 7° F |
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| Evening | 6:00 p.m. | ≤ 70° F | ≥ 78° F |
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| Sleep | 10:00 p.m. | Setback at least 8° F | Setup at least 4° F |
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