Choosing and Installing a Programmable Thermostat

Did you know that properly using a programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy and money?  A programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by offering pre-programmed settings to regulate your home's temperature in both summer and winter — when you are asleep or away.

 

The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills — nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. Homeowners can save about $180 a year by properly setting their programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings. The key to using a programmable thermostat is to establish a program that automatically reduces heating and cooling in your home when you don't need as much.

 

Choosing a Programmable Thermostat

In general, every programmable thermostat comes with pre-programmed settings and maintains those settings within two degrees. Many models also come with additional features, such as:

  • Digital, backlit displays
  • Touch pad screen programming
  • Voice and/or phone programming
  • Hold/Vacation features
  • Indicators which tell you when it’s time to change air filters
  • Indicators that signal malfunctioning of heating/cooling systems
  • Adaptive Recovery/ Smart Recovery features — control features that senses the amount of time it will take to reach the next set-point temperature, and reach desired temperatures by the set time

To decide which model is best for you, think about your schedule and how often you are away from home for regular periods of time — work, school, other activities — and then decide which of the three different models best fits your schedule: the 7-day, 5+2-day, or the 5-1-1-day.

7-day models are best if your daily schedule tends to change, say, if children are at home earlier on some days. They give you the most flexibility, and let you set different programs for different days — usually with four possible temperature periods per day.

5+2-day models use the same schedule every weekday, and another for weekends.

5-1-1 day models are best if you tend to keep one schedule Monday through Friday and another schedule on Saturdays and Sundays.

Installing a Programmable Thermostat

For starters, install your programmable thermostat unit on an interior wall, away from heating or cooling vents and other sources of heat or drafts (doorways, windows, skylights, direct sunlight or bright lamps).

Remember: Read all instructions and proceed carefully! Programmable thermostats are a low voltage wiring installation and involve anywhere from 2–10 wires, depending on your type of heating and cooling system. However, you should shut down your electricity during any replacement. The previous attachment points will reconnect your new unit.

If the job requires more than just a replacement, call a certified HVAC professional to ensure proper installation, as well as operation of your heating and cooling system. It's a good idea to upgrade an old manual thermostat to a programmable unit if you're replacing a central air conditioner or heating system given that programmable thermostats are far more accurate and will maximize the efficiency of your new system. Heat pumps may require a special unit to maximize energy savings year-round. Talk to your retailer or HVAC contractor before selecting the thermostat.

Also, if you're replacing a manual thermostat that has a mercury switch, be careful not to break the tube that holds this toxic substance. Contact your local recycling/hazardous materials center, or the manufacturer of your new thermostat, for advice on proper disposal.