How to Set Your Programmable Thermostat for the Biggest Savings
Utility bills are the biggest expense most households incur. According to the latest statistics (Dec. 2017) from Expatistan, an international cost of living website, the average price of utilities for one month (heating, electricity, gas…) for 2 people in 900 sq. ft. home in Kansas City, Missouri is $230. Multiply that by 12 and it’s approximately $2,760 per year. The larger the home, the larger the utility bills. Reducing your utility bill is one of the best ways to put a significant amount of money back into your pocket. The good news is, it’s easy to do with a programmable thermostat.
The team at Lancaster Brothers Heating and Cooling has put together this simple tutorial on how to save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply using your programmable thermostat. The Department of Energy reports that turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting will save you up to 10%. If you live in a 900 sq. ft. home, this means you save about $276! Read on to learn the secrets to saving big.
How Do I Program My Thermostat to Save Money?
Since you don’t need to heat or cool your home as much while you are away at work or sleeping, those are the times to lower or raise the temperature to reduce the amount of energy you use. The good news is, you won’t even notice! Here are some simple guidelines for year-round programming:
Winter Settings – for the winter months, we suggest setting the thermostat to 72 degrees Fahrenheit while you’re awake, and set it seven to ten degrees lower while away or asleep.
Summer Settings – for the summer months, set the thermostat for 72 degrees Fahrenheit when you are at home and warmer than normal while you are away. We suggest that you set your thermostat up no more than five degrees at any point in time. With the open floor plans of modern homes today, the volume of space your air conditioner is trying to condition makes it counterproductive because it’s too hard for your system to catch up on really hot days.
Tips for Choosing a Programmable Thermostat
If you don’t yet own a programmable thermostat, you’ll find there are a lot of choices out there. Here are some tips for purchasing a programmable thermostat. Some of the features to consider include:
- User-friendly digital displays so you can easily preset the temperatures for different parts of the day.
- Wi-Fi compatibility. Homeowners are able to adjust the settings using a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
- Alerts for changing the filter in your HVAC unit.
- Allow manual overriding of a setting without losing preset programming.
- Programs that differentiate between weekdays and weekends.
If you need help installing a new programmable thermostat, just give Lancaster Brothers a call.
Lennox Makes a Wide Variety of Programmable Thermostats
We are proud to install Lennox brand furnaces and air conditioners, and when you install a programmable thermostat, you are sure to gain the most efficiency you can from your new heating and cooling system. Lennox makes a wide variety of programmable thermostats. If you need help choosing one, give us a call and our comfort specialists can give you all the details.