Considering that energy bills are higher than they’ve ever been and today is Earth Day, it makes sense to invest some time and money into a thermostat.
If chosen and used correctly, your thermostat uses energy more efficiently. That’s better for the planet and your wallet!
Most of the savings come by creating a schedule, not the thermostat itself. It is not essential to use an expensive smart thermostat to accomplish this. A programmable thermostat is all you might need.
However, price isn’t the only factor to consider. Savings should never be made at the expense of comfort or convenience. You want your house to be energy efficient and pleasant, but you might not necessarily want to have to continuously adjust the thermostat.
Smart thermostats can save you a little more money than programmable ones while also being easier to use and far more efficient at keeping the proper areas at the right temperature.
Do I actually save money with a thermostat?
The short answer is that programmable thermostats do save energy.
ENERGY STAR says that households that use programmable ones effectively can save roughly $180 per year.
Smart thermostats can save even more money.
Several years ago, a study by Nest concluded that their customers saved an average of 10 to 12 percent on heating costs and 15 percent on air conditioning costs with their smart thermostats. Ecobee, another manufacturer claims that their smart thermostat can save you up to 23% on your energy bills.
Heating and cooling expenditures account for roughly half of your energy bills, so installing a programmable or smart thermostat in your house would be a wise decision.
To get the most out of your savings, make sure your system is properly installed, set up, and actually put to use as many people who have one do not even use it!
How do I choose the right one?
First and foremost, you want to check the thermostats compatibility with your current HVAC equipment. If you need help with this, Dave’s Cooling and Heating has got you covered! Just give us a call.
You also want to choose one that has the right number of scheduling options for your needs. Do you want to program a variety of schedules or just a couple?
If your scheduling needs are simple and consistent, a programmable version does the trick!
However, smart thermostats allow more scheduling and customization options. In addition to scheduling, they also use geofencing and motion sensing technology to know when to turn up the heat or ac.
How do I install a new thermostat?
You want to choose a location on an interior wall away from heat/draft sources such vents, entrances, and windows, and make sure the unit is not blocked by furniture. For programming purposes, the thermostat should be conveniently accessible.
Most models come with instructions, but we recommend getting help from an HVAC contractor as improper set up can actually make your system less energy efficient. And cost you more money!
How do I set up properly?
Begin by noting the times you or your household are typically awake, sleeping, leaving and returning to your home.
You should program your thermostat based on this schedule rather than the pre-installed factory settings.
It might take you a few days of adjustments before the thermostat is in sync with your actual schedule or needs.
You can check energy stars recommended set point time and temperature settings here to help you get started.
You want to use energy saving set points for long periods of time such as when you’re at work or sleeping.
Otherwise, avoid large or constant swings in the temperature. You don’t want to always be overriding your thermostat settings as it ends up making your system much less energy efficient.
