Programmable thermostats
Programmable thermostats help families save money on their energy bills in a very efficient way. The device is a digital thermostat designed to automatically adjust the temperature setting in your home or office based on pre-set schedule. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates most homes can save anywhere from 10 to 20% on their monthly utility bills from a programmable thermostat, and learn more about them below.
Most of the savings will be focused on heating and air conditioning costs. They are very affordable (often around $50 to $100) and a programmable thermostat will often “pay” for itself in a matter of months. Note the 10 to 20% savings are also achieved year in an year out, so the savings accumulate over time
How do Programmable Thermostats work?
Programmable thermostats work by allowing users to set specific temperatures for specific times. For example, a user can set the thermostat to lower the heat to 64°F at bedtime and to increase it to (70°F just before waking up. Modern units offer varying degrees of programmability - from basic models that follow the same schedule every day to more advanced options that allow for different settings on weekends and weekdays, and even smart thermostats that can learn your schedule and adjust automatically.
- As another example, say you go to work every Monday thru Friday from 8am to 5pm during the winter. You can set your thermostat to 65 degrees during those hours. If you get home from work at 5, you can program the thermostat to be at 72 degrees starting at 4:45 pm. This will ensure your house is not being fully heated when no none is home, yet the house will be warm when you arrive home from work.
The systems allow occupants to set their home and/or apartment temperatures according to whether the house is occupied or not, based on the individual’s lifestyle. Programmable thermostats allow the temperature to be set to according to a user's schedule, whether it is for work or some other life event. Some units now are even controlled using apps on cell phones, so the homeowner or renter can easily adjust the temperature right before they get home or as soon a they walk out of the house.
Programmable thermostats automatically store and repeat daily temperature settings, with an option for a manual override if and when it is needed. This override can often be controlled from a cell phone or tablet as well. What this means is that an individual could set a different temperature for different days and even times of the week.
Examples of savings from programmable thermostats
The actual savings from using a programmable thermostat can vary based on many factors. These include the climate, the size and insulation quality of the home or apartment, the efficiency of the HVAC system, and the specific settings used. However, the U.S. Department of Energy suggests that homeowners can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning their thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.
- Winter Savings: By setting the thermostat to 68°F while you're awake and lowering it while you're asleep or away from home, you can save around 1% for each degree of setback over an 8-hour period. So if you lower it to 64 degrees at night, that is a ~4% savings.
- Summer Savings: Conversely, setting the thermostat to a higher temperature when the house is unoccupied or during sleeping hours can lead to similar savings by reducing the need for air conditioning.
This grid provides an example of how they can work. The key to saving on your energy bills is to set up a program that will automatically reduce the heating and cooling that occurs in your home when you don’t need it as much. This will result in consumers paying less on their energy bills, whether they are heating or air conditioning expenses.
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Setting
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Time
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Setpoint Temperature (Summer)
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Setpoint Temperature (Winter)
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Wake
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6:30 a.m.
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≤= 70° F
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≥= 74° F
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Day
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8:30 a.m.
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Setback at least 8° F
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Setup at least 7° F
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Evening
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6:30 p.m.
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≤= 70° F
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≥= 74° F
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Sleep
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10:30 p.m.
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Setback at least 8° F
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Setup at least 4° F
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Since a thermostat only costs around $50 to buy and install and can save you tens or maybe even hundreds of dollars per year (based on factors indicated above), they pay for themselves in a matter of weeks.
Selecting the best programmable thermostat for your home
While many newly built homes or apartments may have programmable thermostats by default, most older homes do not have these units installed. Anyone that lives in one of these older homes should strongly consider investing in one, especially considering the rate of return on them in the form of savings on monthly utility bills. They tend to be easy to install, and in fact some utility companies will often help one of their customer install as well as part of an overall energy conservation program.
In addition, when considering what to look for when buying a programmable thermostat, it's essential to evaluate the compatibility with your existing HVAC system. Asking your HVAC company that tunes up your system each year, or a landlord, can help you determine this. Also determine the level of programmable thermostat programmability that matches your lifestyle, and whether you'd benefit from advanced features such as remote access or learning capabilities.
Conclusion
The units are a very cost effective way to save money and also conserve energy. The key is to learn how to use a programmable thermostats and program it correctly, as unfortunately some of the thermostats are not as user friendly as others. So you anyone looking to save money should buy a programmable thermostat in order to save a substantial amount of money on your home energy bills.
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