One of the most common questions we are asked by customers is about how to program and set the home thermostat. It seems simple enough, but programmable thermostats can appear complicated when you don’t know how to use them. And there are a lot of misconceptions about what settings to keep the thermostat at for the best efficiency. We clear up some of these in today’s guide.
Consider an upgrade
If you are still using a manual thermostat (one that you control by turning a dial or moving a slider) you ought to consider an upgrade. Today, there are so many programmable options, and there are even systems you can control remotely from an app on your smart phone or tablet. Having the ability to vary the temperature throughout the day gives you more control over your energy use so you can make smarter choices.
Learn about your programming settings
To do so, you may need to call a technician over or just locate the user’s manual—have you tried an internet search for your particular unit? But you may be able to figure your thermostat out on your own with a little bit of time. Some thermostats can be preprogrammed for each individual day of the week. Others allow you to set 5 days to a particular schedule and set a different schedule for the other two days (the weekend). Most allow for temperature changes at several points in the day. If yours does not, we strongly recommend a new thermostat.
Find a comfortable temperature
For maximum efficiency, we recommend finding the lowest possible temperature at which everyone in the home is comfortable and just keeping it there whenever you are home (or even lower as you sleep). When you are away, set it another 5 – 10 degrees lower, but use the programmable settings to have it come back on 20 minutes before you arrive. Remember that it is more efficient to leave the thermostat alone while you are home than to keep readjusting. Also keep in mind that your home won’t heat up any faster if you set the thermostat to a higher temperature. This can only raise your bills and wear out the heating system.
The Colorado Springs, CO heating and air conditioning specialists are here to help. Call Robbins Heating & Air Conditioning today for thermostat installation, helpful advice, home automation services, and more.
