Programmable Thermostats Only Save If Used Right
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how programmable thermostats work,
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and the right way to use them.
How They Work
Programmable thermostats have a clock inside them that allows you to automatically set the temperature you want your home to be at for particular times of day and days of the week. There are two ways that a programmable thermostat helps save you money:
First
, it automatically remembers to change temperatures for you, so that your furnace or air conditioner doesn’t keep running if you ever forget to change your thermostat. So for example if you typically reduce your temperature during the day while you are gone to work, a programmable thermostat will make this change for you, so you don’t need to remember to do it yourself.Secondly
, a programmable thermostat can work even while you are asleep. So it can turn down or up temperatures while you were sleeping and then turn them back down or up before you awake.How to Properly Use a Programmable Thermostat
For your programmable thermostat to work properly and save you money on your energy bill, there are five things that you need to do:
Be sure that the desired times and temperatures are properly set up for how you live
. In other words, make sure that your thermostat is set to turn up and down your temperature at the proper times. If you haven't taken the time to set your temperatures properly, you will find yourself overriding the programs which defeats the purpose of having a programmable thermostat. And if you don't know how to set up your programmable thermostat, then you should contact your manufacturer, who usually has a toll-free customer service number. They can walk you through exactly how to set up your programmable thermostat.2.
Be sure that the clock on your programmable thermostat is set for the correct time of day and the correct day of the week.
If the time and day are wrong, then you will not have the temperatures adjusted for when you want them to be. Especially check around changes in daylight savings times, when the clock in your programmable thermostat will likely need to be reset.3.
From time to time you should open your programmable thermostat and carefully clean it.
If it is dirty, this can sometimes affect how well it reads the temperature and how well it reacts.4.
And finally, be sure that your programmable thermostat was installed level on the wall.
Some models need to be perfectly horizontal to operate properly.SUMMARY
Programmable thermostats can be a great way to help you to save energy. But to actually deliver these savings, you must use your programmable thermostats properly (see costs and reviews of programmable thermostat). We hope this article has helped you understand how your programmable thermostat works, and the five things that you need to do to make sure it is working properly.
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