Program Your Thermostat to Save Money on HVAC
Did you know that heating and cooling your home are responsible for up to half of your energy consumption? What's more, if you're not careful, it's easy to waste a lot of that delightfully conditioned air. The best way to ensure you are operating your HVAC efficiently is to monitor your home
Posted — UpdatedAll you need to do is "set and forget" your programmable thermostat. The gadget is capable of storing store 6 or more temperature settings per day in its memory. And, whenever you want, you have the option to manually override the program. Don't worry -- your override won't mess up the default programming.
Choose the right thermostat for your needs. For example, do you use a heat pump rather than forced air as your home's HVAC? It's advisable to install a thermostat specially designed for this type of system. The same goes for radiant floor heating. If you and your housemates disagree about optimal comfort levels, you might want to install more than one thermostat.
Technologically challenged? An electromechanical thermostat is the simplest type to program for basic function. However, the digital kind offers a wider variety of options for flexibility -- for example, it can easily be updated to daylight saving time in the spring.
A smart house thermostat goes several steps further. If you replace your old thermostat with one of these newfangled gizmos, you'll be able to adjust it remotely with the help of your phone or tablet -- say, for example, you have an unexpected dinner meeting that means you'll be home several hours later than usual. It will even inform you when the HVAC filter needs cleaning and "learn" your preferences by keeping track of the changes you make to its settings.