Tips to Get the Most Energy Savings Out of Your Programmable Thermostat

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and Energy Star, about 25 million U.S. homes now have programmable thermostats, which could save them an estimated 10% on energy costs each year. It is possible to reap meaningful savings on cooling and heating costs by properly utilizing a programmable thermostat,with one seemingly simple caveat: you have to actually use it. Studies show that many homeowners don’t.

A programmable thermostat empowers you to automate temperatures to fit your daily household schedule of activity and occupancy. This maintains consistency in both indoor comfort and cost-efficient operation, eliminating adjustments that cycle HVAC equipment on and off erratically, wasting energy and causing temperature swings.

But to take advantage of the benefits, you have to be willing to accurately and regularly program your smart thermostat. Here, we’ll take a closer look at programmable thermostats and how you can put them to work in your home to save money and enjoy comfortable indoor temperatures year-round.

What is a Programmable Thermostat?

A programmable thermostat is a home device that adjusts your energy usage by scheduling your HVAC system to heat and cool more efficiently, resulting in noticeable cost savings. Programmable thermostats use automation to control your heating and cooling system, thereby reducing energy consumption. You can set a schedule based around your daily routine, when you’ll be home or away, or around peak energy hours to maximize your energy efficiency.

Types of Thermostats

There are many different brands and styles of home thermostats, but most fall into three primary categories:

Manual Thermostats: Manual thermostats must be adjusted by hand, and will remain at a constant temperature unless you tell them otherwise. They are easy and affordable, but because they can’t be automated, they are far less efficient.
Programmable Thermostats: Programmable thermostats, like those discussed here, can be set on a schedule of your choosing. You can have different daily or weekly schedules, as well as set times you’ll be away. This is far more energy efficient and results in lower heating and cooling bills.
Smart Thermostats: Smart thermostats are a type of programmable thermostat, though they are often a little more advanced. You may have an app to control your smart thermostat from your phone or other mobile device, and some have learning capabilities, so they monitor and adjust based on your habits and ideal temperatures.

Because nearly all smart thermostats are programmable, you will often hear the terms used interchangeably. However, keep in mind that not all programmable thermostats are smart thermostats, so you’ll need to know the difference if and when you’re shopping to replace your existing home thermostat.

Tips on How to Use Your Programmable Thermostat to Maximize Energy Savings

To get the benefits and potential savings of a programmable thermostat, follow a few tips for proper operation and optimization in all weather:.

Program for Long Periods of Time

Maintain the programmed energy-conserving settings for long spans of time. Optimal savings are realized when settings remain the same for at least 8 hours. For example, maintain a consistent temperature for the overnight span while occupants are sleeping and another temperature for long periods during the day when the house is unoccupied.

Set Temps for Maximum Savings

To optimize your energy efficiency and your savings on cooling and heating bills, you may have to adjust to slightly higher or lower temperatures. During summer, set the daily occupied temperature at 78 degrees. For every degree above that temperature, you can save about 1 percent on cooling costs. For the unoccupied hours, program a temperature around 88 degrees. Set the system to return to a comfortable temperature an hour before you normally return home and you’ll come back to a cool house.

In the winter, set your thermostat to 68 degrees during the day while you’re in the house. At night or when you’re away, you can lower it by 7-10 degrees. Just make sure to keep an eye on the weather so you don’t get surprised by frozen pipes or other issues. Generally, you don’t want it to be set lower than 55 degrees.

Keep Your Heating and Cooling Schedules Consistent

Consistency is the key to reducing energy costs, but there may be times when your schedule changes or you need to pause your regular heating or cooling schedule. Don’t erase programmed settings to temporarily depart from the programmed temperature. All programmable models have an “override” option that allows you to temporarily deviate from the active program and move temperatures up or down. When the next scheduled program begins, the unit automatically reverts to full programmed operation.

Resist the temptation to override programmed settings and crank the thermostat down or up for extreme temperature changes. Acute temperature settings won’t cool the house faster nor heat it more rapidly. The A/C or furnace still works at the same rate. Manually overriding, however, does increase the probability that you’ll overshoot your target temperature, consuming more energy than necessary.

Common Smart Thermostat Mistakes to Avoid

When it comes to your smart or programmable thermostat, you should follow the best practices listed above, but you should also avoid these common misusages:

Not performing thermostat maintenance: Your thermostat requires regular cleaning, fresh batteries, and other checks to ensure it’s operating at maximum performance.
Leaving the fan set to “on”: This keeps the fan running non-stop, which increases your energy consumption and offsets any savings from the programmable thermostat. Make sure the fan is set to “auto.”
Placing it in the wrong spot: Thermostat placement is key to efficiency and proper performance. Be sure your thermostat isn’t in the path of direct sun or too near appliances that generate heat. It should also be around five feet from the floor, close to eye level.
Failing to update software: Smart thermostats especially require regular updates to their software. Skipping an update could cause them to operate less efficiently or malfunction.
Forgetting to adjust the schedule: Failing to adjust the schedule for vacations, holidays, or other times you aren’t at home could mean your HVAC system will run when you don’t need it, leading to higher energy consumption and increased utility bills.
Not calibrating regularly: Thermostats have sensors that need to be recalibrated at times. If your thermostat or HVAC isn’t operating the way you think it should, it might be because the thermostat needs to be recalibrated. Failing to do this will result in less efficient operation.

Integration with Other Energy-Saving Home Technologies

If you have a smart thermostat, chances are you have opportunities to integrate it with other smart home devices or technologies. For example, you may install door or window sensors that link to your programmable thermostat, which can then detect if something is left open, and prevent the HVAC system from running.

You can also use smart plugs and energy monitoring devices to better understand your energy use and make changes to lower your usage and save money on energy costs.

To integrate your smart thermostat, first check for compatibility with other apps, devices, and appliances. Make sure your thermostat is connected to the Wi-Fi and everything is operating as it should. Pick a smart home platform like Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Home to be your base for managing your connected smart devices. Connect all compatible devices, then work on setting schedules for maximum efficiency. For instance, you may set your washer or dryer to run only during non-peak hours when the HVAC isn’t running, or you might trigger lights to power on and the air conditioning or heating system to start when someone enters the home.

Measuring and Tracking Your Actual Energy Savings

The best way to understand how much you’ve reduced your energy consumption is to see a decrease in your utility bills. Whatever the outside temperature, you want to stay comfortable inside your home, but you also want to know that your thermostat savings will add up. To do that, keep a close eye on your energy bills and compare your recent bills (since installing a new thermostat) with those from the period of time in the previous year.

You can also set up energy monitoring services, which are often built in on your smart thermostat. You should be able to access energy usage reports and other data that will help you identify patterns and adjust your schedule to maximize savings.

Start Saving on Energy Bills with Support from Airtron

It’s true that you can use less energy and save money with a programmable thermostat, but you have to actually schedule the temperature control and optimize your thermostat settings to turn potential savings into real dollars and cents. At Airtron, we’re here to support your efforts to save money and energy on your home’s heating and cooling. How? At Airtron, we support smart home operations that keep you safe, comfortable, and efficient all through the year. In all outdoor temperatures, you can control your indoor comfort by automating services with assistance from Airtron. Give us a call or contact us for a personalized estimate today!