The thermostat is the brain of your heating and cooling system. The “smarter” your thermostat, the greater your potential energy savings. That’s why more people are switching to programmable thermostats.
There are dozens of brands and models available. Here’s a three-step guide to help you select the best programmable thermostat for your needs:
- Know the benefits of programmable thermostats. Since they are more expensive up front than manual thermostats, it’s important to understand that you can cut a significant percentage off your heating and cooling bills year-round by using programmable settings. Digital interfaces offer accurate temperature readings and are easy to use. New models do not contain mercury.
- Choose a thermostat that’s compatible with your system. A thermostat that says it works with “1-stage heat or cool” refers to standard heating and cooling equipment while “2-stage heat or cool” means that the thermostat can function with equipment that operates on high- and low-speed settings. A thermostat compatible with a 110 or 240 direct current power source may work best in an older home. If you have a zoned HVAC system or a heat pump, look for a thermostat designed specifically for your systems.
- Consider the flexibility you need for settings from day to day. There are four main options, each with successively more flexibility in programming. A one-week option allows you to program the same setting every day for a week at a time. A five-two programmable thermostat allows you to create different settings for weekends and weekdays. Next, a five-one-one model allows for standard programming during the week and different settings on Saturday and Sunday. Finally, the seven-day option allows each day of the week to be programmed differently. Remember, you can manually override any programmed setting whenever you need to.
These steps should help match you up with the perfect programmable thermostat for you and your family. For more advice on this and other HVAC topics, please contact a Rheem Pro Partner contractor in your area today. Our contractors work with customers in Colorado and Wyoming.
Programmable thermostat image via Shutterstock
