Over the course of the Summer most homeowners are caught in the back and forth struggle of the thermostat. On one side of the spectrum is the attempt to keep the thermostat set as high as possible in an effort to save on utility costs. Then again, it sure is nice to feel cool when the temperature outside continually rises into the dangerous levels.
In many ways thermostat issues are a year-round affair because energy efficiency and comfort need to be addressed in colder weather as well. A great way to save on utility bills but also feel cool when needed in the Summer is with a programmable thermostat – an inexpensive and easy-to-implement appliance that brings with it a windfall of benefits such as:
Lower Utility Costs
One of the biggest wastes of energy is when the air-conditioner is cranked low at times when it’s not needed like when people are at work / outside or when they are sleeping. Most people are vigilant about turning the A/C off when they leave for extended periods of time but a programmable thermostat removes any risk of forgetfulness and sets itself to a sensible temperature at off-peak times.
More Comfortable
Of course one of the frustrating things about turning the air-conditioner off for the day when you leave is that you come home to a hot and stuffy house. A programmable thermostat can be set to lower the temperature in the house about 30 minutes before you get home so that you arrive to a cool, comfortable environment.
Convenience
Programmable thermostats really are a ‘set it and forget it’ appliance as most of them have options for either 7-day (different times for each day), 5 + 2 (weekday and weekend settings), and 5-1-1 (weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays) schedules. Plus with the touchscreen technology thermostats are relatively easy to program and they can be installed quite easily by a certified HVAC technician. Modern programmable thermostats can even be synched up to your Smart phone and give you full control over your home comfort anywhere you are, day or night.
Affordable
The most basic programmable thermostats retail for around $20 and usually require less than an hour of labor to be installed. Plus whatever the initial investment is can be recouped rather quickly with the 10%-30% reduction in energy bills that the programmable thermostats can provide.
If anything the installation of a programmable thermostat is the first direction in optimizing the efficiency of a home. Projects that follow might include sealing up any gaps around doors, upgrading windows, and beefing up wall insulation. It’s not beyond the realm of possibilities to save 50% from what you’re paying in heating and cooling bills now and all that is lost profits the more time that’s wasted.
So in essence, if you don’t already have one buy a programmable thermostat today!