Cooler weather has already arrived in the Dayton-Springfield area, so as you prepare your home (and furnace) for another winter, don’t overlook the importance of your thermostat in keeping your home warm and comfortable. If you still have a standard non-programmable thermostat installed in your home, now is the time to consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat.
These thermostats make it easier to keep your house comfortable at all times, as they allow you to program energy-saving settings to match your daily schedule. A programmable thermostat will lighten your expenses and the workload on your furnace by reducing energy consumption.
Simply put, the settings are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort. The key is to establish a program that automatically reduces heat when you don’t need it.
Some models include a calculator that determines your energy savings while using your established program. All you have to do is enter your local utility rates into the tool.
There are also models that feature phone or voice recognition, wireless programming, and indicators that alert you to problems or changes within your HVAC system.
There are a variety of programming options available in different models, including storing and repeating multiple daily settings that can be manually overridden without affecting the original programming. Schedule options include:
- Seven-day models: A different program can be entered for every day of the week – ideal for those with a changing daily schedule.
- Five-plus-two models: One program setting for your weekday schedule and another for your weekend.
- Five-one-one models: If your weekday schedule is steady, but your weekends aren’t, this model holds three programs – one for the weekdays, one for Saturday and one for Sunday.
You can realize significant cash and energy savings with a programmable thermostat, especially if you have it professionally installed by a certified HVAC contractor and you take the time to learn to properly set and use it.
For more expert information on installing a programmable thermostat in your home or for any home comfort issues, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services, Inc. We’ve proudly served the Dayton-Springfield area for three generations.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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