A Programmable Thermostat Allows You to Set It and Forget It for Energy Savings
If you’re not yet employing a programmable thermostat in your greater Cincinnati home, you’re likely wasting energy needlessly.
While it’s not a must to use a programmable thermostat to ensure energy-saving settings over the winter, it’s easy to forget to adjust the thermostat when using a manual device, unless homeowners are ultra-vigilant. That’s the appeal of the programmable thermostat: Once you discover the best settings for savings, you simply set the device and forget about it. Then, watch the savings roll in.
When you’re shopping for a programmable thermostat, remember that the key to ensuring savings lies in the device’s ability to meet your family’s lifestyle needs. It’s possible to purchase a low-cost device that limits your settings to just one pattern for the entire week. Unless your schedule remains the same Sunday through Saturday, you’ll likely need a device that either allows you to:
- Set the same schedule for weekdays and a different schedule for weekends
- Set a different schedule for every day of the week
The latter type of thermostat is ideal for families or individuals with varying schedules and those who leave the home or arrive home at different times every day of the week.
With the right thermostat in place, it’s time to employ energy-saving settings, keeping these principles in mind:
- Set the thermostat back for at least eight hours once a day. Homeowners often choose nighttime to set the thermostat back, with many households opting for two eight-hour setbacks by including a daytime period when the home isn’t occupied.
- Choose an energy-saving setting to employ during the setback. Follow this general rule: The more you set the thermostat back, the more you’ll save. In fact, the Department of Energy estimates homeowners can save 1 percent on energy costs for every 1 degree the thermostat is set back.
- Avoid overriding settings as much as possible to ensure savings from regular setback periods.
Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Using a programmable thermostat to save really is as easy as setting it and forgetting it. Contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing for help in selecting and installing a thermostat. We’ve served homeowners in greater Cincinnati since 1910.
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