Programmable Thermostats
Programmable Thermostats
Programmable thermostats automatically adjust your home's temperature settings, allowing you to save energy while you're away or sleeping.
They:
• are more convenient and accurate than manual thermostats and improve your home's comfort
• contain no mercury
• save energy and save money on utility bills – when used properly, about $100/year
• are better for the environment, since using less energy helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production.
Programmable thermostats earn the ENERGY STAR by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the government. These units save energy by offering four convenient, pre-programmed temperature settings—settings that try to anticipate when it's convenient for you to scale back on heating or cooling.
If you are like many homeowners and work outside the home during the day and have a different schedule on the weekend, a programmable thermostat can offer many benefits, and the return on your investment is usually within one year.
On the other hand, if you are home throughout the day, seven days a week, then a programmable thermostat will offer more limited benefits.
Proper Use Guidelines
Programmable thermostats have to be set and used properly to deliver energy savings. Generally, they're easy to program, but energy savings are lost when temperature settings are left in over-ride or hold modes. ENERGY STAR default settings are designed to keep you comfortable when you're at home. If you find these settings aren't warm or cool enough, it could be because of inadequate sealing or insulation, or inefficient airflow through your duct system - - conditions which a certified HVAC contractor can diagnose and fix.
Rules of Thumb for Proper Use:
1. Keep the temperature set at its energy savings set-points for long periods of time (at least eight hours), for example, during the day, when no one is at home, and through the night, after bedtime.
2. All thermostats let you temporarily make an area warmer or cooler, without erasing the pre-set programming. This override is cancelled automatically at the next program period. You use more energy (and end up paying more on energy bills) if you consistently 'hold' or over-ride the pre-programmed settings.
3. Units typically have 2 types of hold features: (a) hold/permanent/vacation; (b) temporary. Avoid using the hold/permanent/vacation feature to manage day to day temperature settings.
'Hold' or 'vacation' features are best when you're planning be away for an extended period. Set this feature at a constant, efficient temperature (i.e. several degrees warmer temperature in summer, several degrees cooler during winter), when going away for the weekend or on vacation. You'll waste energy and money if you leave the 'hold' feature at the comfort setting while you're away.
4. Cranking your unit up to 90 degrees or down to 40 degrees, for example, will not heat or cool your house any faster. Most thermostats, including ENERGY STAR qualified units, begin to heat or cool at a programmed time, to reach set-point temperatures sometime thereafter.
Programmable thermostats automatically adjust your home's temperature settings, allowing you to save energy while you're away or sleeping.
They:
• are more convenient and accurate than manual thermostats and improve your home's comfort
• contain no mercury
• save energy and save money on utility bills – when used properly, about $100/year
• are better for the environment, since using less energy helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production.
Programmable thermostats earn the ENERGY STAR by meeting strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the government. These units save energy by offering four convenient, pre-programmed temperature settings—settings that try to anticipate when it's convenient for you to scale back on heating or cooling.
If you are like many homeowners and work outside the home during the day and have a different schedule on the weekend, a programmable thermostat can offer many benefits, and the return on your investment is usually within one year.
On the other hand, if you are home throughout the day, seven days a week, then a programmable thermostat will offer more limited benefits.
Proper Use Guidelines
Programmable thermostats have to be set and used properly to deliver energy savings. Generally, they're easy to program, but energy savings are lost when temperature settings are left in over-ride or hold modes. ENERGY STAR default settings are designed to keep you comfortable when you're at home. If you find these settings aren't warm or cool enough, it could be because of inadequate sealing or insulation, or inefficient airflow through your duct system - - conditions which a certified HVAC contractor can diagnose and fix.
Rules of Thumb for Proper Use:
1. Keep the temperature set at its energy savings set-points for long periods of time (at least eight hours), for example, during the day, when no one is at home, and through the night, after bedtime.
2. All thermostats let you temporarily make an area warmer or cooler, without erasing the pre-set programming. This override is cancelled automatically at the next program period. You use more energy (and end up paying more on energy bills) if you consistently 'hold' or over-ride the pre-programmed settings.
3. Units typically have 2 types of hold features: (a) hold/permanent/vacation; (b) temporary. Avoid using the hold/permanent/vacation feature to manage day to day temperature settings.
'Hold' or 'vacation' features are best when you're planning be away for an extended period. Set this feature at a constant, efficient temperature (i.e. several degrees warmer temperature in summer, several degrees cooler during winter), when going away for the weekend or on vacation. You'll waste energy and money if you leave the 'hold' feature at the comfort setting while you're away.
4. Cranking your unit up to 90 degrees or down to 40 degrees, for example, will not heat or cool your house any faster. Most thermostats, including ENERGY STAR qualified units, begin to heat or cool at a programmed time, to reach set-point temperatures sometime thereafter.
5. Install your unit on an interior wall, away from heating or cooling vents and other sources of heat or drafts (doorways, windows, skylights, direct sunlight or bright lamps).
6. Many homes use just one thermostat to control the whole house. If your home has multiple HVAC systems, you'll need a programmed setback thermostat for each system to maximize comfort, convenience and energy savings throughout the house.
7. Don't forget to change the batteries each year, if you have one of the battery powered models. Some units indicate when batteries must be changed.
Hot Winter Tip
Using a programmable thermostat, you can automatically turn down your heat at night or when you are not at home.
Cool Summer Tip
In the summer, you can save money by automatically turning your air-conditioning up at night or when you are at work. You can save as much as 20 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10 percent to 15 percent for 8 hours. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat.
Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a pre-set schedule. As a result, the equipment doesn't operate as much when you are asleep or when the house or part of the house is not occupied. Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program. When shopping for a programmable thermostat, be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR.