To save the most on your electric bill, you probably already know you should turn off the air conditioner when you don’t need it. However, you constantly find yourself monitoring and adjusting the thermostat. Eventually, many people get tired of it, and they pay a higher energy bill for the convenience of a cool home without the hassle. What if you could have the best of both worlds? Imagine getting a comfortable home and a lower electric bill. That’s what a programmable thermostat can give you.

Differences between Programmable and Traditional Thermostats

The thermostat controls the entire HVAC system (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning). Before the prevalence of microprocessors, traditional thermostats only controlled the temperature. To raise or lower the temperature, you manually had to adjust it. Once small computer chips became abundant and cheap, the thermostat could now take into account time. It knows the day of the week and the hour. That means you can give it instructions to automatically adjust itself at certain times of day. You tell it what to do one time, and it carries out your instructions continuously.

Energy Efficiency on Autopilot

How does all this relate to lowering your energy bill every month? You have predictable patterns of sleeping, working, going to school and leaving the house on weekends. During these times, you spend little or no money on heating and cooling because the thermostat will turn off or adjust the temperature. Over the course of a month, these times add up. Here are four of the most common times of day when you probably already adjust your thermostat:

  • Waking Up in the Morning
  • Before You Leave for Work or School
  • After Coming Home from Work or School
  • Before You go to Sleep

Your HVAC technician can program these settings for you when you have the new thermostat installed. You’re still free to adjust the temperature with a setting called override. The thermostat will simply pick up where it left off at the next scheduled time. Likewise, you can turn off the programming or change it at your leisure.

Tips for Lowering Your Energy Bill

When you consider that many people sleep eight hours and work eight hours more, that’s almost 67% of the day to save money on heating and cooling. Your HVAC makes up almost half your electric bill, and it’s the largest energy expense. Here are some tips for keeping it lower with a new thermostat:

  • Use the temporary override feature instead of the permanent override. You may forget to turn the automatic setting back on.
  • Set the temperature you want one time. Your home won’t cool faster if you set the temperature very low.
  • Program the longest down time when you’re out of the house. These hours add up.
  • Use electric fans or blankets at night. Keep the heating and cooling to a minimum as long as you can sleep comfortably.

Bodine-Scott

For over 50 years, Bodine-Scott has provided exceptional HVAC service to Corpus Christi, TX, and nearby communities. If you’d like to inquire about installing a programmed thermostat in your home, then call us today.

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