Aberdeen, North Carolina, has seen some widely varying temperature patterns lately. A good portion of a home’s expenses come from its heating and cooling energy costs; the average homeowner pays over $1,000 per year on this expense. so it pays to look into technology options that can help you save on energy consumption. Switching to a programmable thermostat rather than having a manual one can save money each year on the utility bills.
There are many different types of programmable thermostats on the market, from models that are basic to very advanced models that connect to the internet and offer the ultimate in on-the-go convenience. You can access some of these anywhere with a computer, tablet, or smartphone app.
What is a Programmable Thermostat?
A programmable thermostat is like a regular thermostat; it controls what temperature the house’s heating and cooling system are set to maintain. The difference is that programmable thermostats are either digital, electromechanical, or a mixture of the two. Digital thermostats offer many more features than electromechanical systems. Programmable thermostats give you the option of setting and forgetting them, and they can keep the temperature the way you want it even when you aren’t home.
Cost Efficiency and Convenience
Programmable thermostats can save you money. When programming the thermostat, you can take into consideration when you usually go to sleep and when you are awake. Also, the household temperature can be set differently for when the house is typically empty each day.
Having a lower temperature at night during the winter or when the house is empty for more than four hours can save money on your utility bills. While a manual thermostat can do this too, you must remember to set it each time you want to change it, and then turn it back afterward. Because it must be done manually, the house remains colder when you wake up, and colder or warmer when you come home. A programmable thermostat does this for you when the schedules are set.
Using a programmable thermostat gives you more convenience, lowers utility bills, and can even prevent breakdowns in the heating and cooling system because it is running less and not working as hard when it’s not needed.
Advanced Programmable Thermostats
Programmable thermostats have made tremendous advancements recently. These are also called smart thermostats. Smart thermostats can communicate over the internet. They do everything that a programmable thermostat can do, but they also can be adjusted with a computer or smartphone. There are several brands of advanced programmable thermostats, with many different features to choose from.
Learning vs. Programmable
Smart thermostats come in two varieties. Learning thermostats learn from the homeowners’ behavior, so they do not need to be programmed. Programmable thermostats usually offer internet connectivity, which allows for remote control and programming. The best smart thermostats can do both.
Why You Want a Smart Thermostat
Besides its ability to be programmed, a smart, internet-connected thermostat is useful for times you’re not on your usual schedule If you are traveling or coming home early, you can adjust the temperature over the phone using an app or on the computer.
Being able to control the temperature in your house is critical to keeping the heating and cooling costs lower no matter what kind of HVAC system you have. A programmable thermostat allows you to control the temperature in a way that helps the house stay as cool or as warm as you prefer. With new technology, these programmable thermostats have gotten even better. Using the heating and air conditioning systems more efficiently allows the systems to work less which leads to longer life for the equipment.
If you need more information about programmable thermostats or need help with one, the professionals at Sandhills Heating can help with all of your heating and air conditioning needs. Give us a call at 910-338-3723 or request an appointment today to help you decide which programmable thermostat is best for your home.
Image provided by Shutterstock
