Throughout the summer, a majority of homeowners are caught in a tedious struggle with the thermostat. On one side of the spectrum is attempting to keep the thermostat set as high as possible in an attempt to save on utility costs. But then again, it sure is preferable to feel cool when the temperature outside steadily reaches hazardous levels.
In multiple ways, thermostat balance is a year-round problem because energy efficiency and comfort need to be addressed in winter weather as well. A simple way to decrease utility bills but also feel comfortable during the summer is with a programmable thermostat—an affordable, easy-to-use appliance that brings with it multiple benefits. Here are some listed below.
Fewer Utility Costs
One of the largest wastes of energy is when the air conditioner is cranked low at times when it’s not necessary like when people are off to work, outside, or when they are asleep. Most people are diligent about switching the A/C off when they leave for long amounts of time, but a programmable thermostat removes any risk of forgetfulness and automatically sets itself to a more practical temperature at off-peak times.
More Comfort
In general, one of the annoying things about turning the AC off for the day when you leave is that you come home to a hot and stifling house. A programmable thermostat can be used to reduce the temperature in the house about 30 minutes before you return home so that you come back to a cool, comfy environment.
Convenience
Programmable thermostats truly are a “set it and forget it” appliance as many of them have options for either 7-day (different times for each day), 5 + 2 (weekday and weekend settings), and 5-1-1 (weekdays, Saturdays, and Sundays) schedules. In addition to the touchscreen technology thermostats are fairly easy to use and they can be installed easily by a professional HVAC technician. Modern programmable thermostats can even be controlled using your smartphone and relinquish full control over your home comfort anytime, day or night.
Affordability
The simplest programmable thermostats sell for close to $20 and usually demand under an hour of labor to be installed. In addition, whatever the initial investment is can be replenished rather promptly with the 10%30% reduction in energy bills that the programmable thermostats can provide.
If anything, the installation of a programmable thermostat is the first goal in optimizing the heating and cooling of a home. Projects that follow can include sealing up any gaps around doors, upgrading windows, and beefing up wall insulation. It’s not beyond the realm of possibilities to save 50% from what you’re paying in heating and cooling bills now and all that is lost profits the more time that’s wasted.
So in essence, if you don’t already use one, buy a programmable thermostat today!
Some popular thermostats to choose from: