programming thermostats

A programmable thermostat can save you a significant amount of money in energy costs. But it should be properly programmed and used…

Thermostat Programs

When in heating mode (winter) you should program the thermostat to lower the temperatures at bedtime and to raise them before your family members get up.

And you should also program the thermostat to shut off the heating system during the day (if no one is in the house), and set it to start up before anyone returns home (in the evening).

Typically, programmable digital thermostats will start and stop your heating or cooling system at least twice a day. Below, we detail these rules, and others.

Setting night temperatures

To get energy savings during the winter, you should sleep at a cooler temperature than that you set for your evening or your early morning at home. And you should start the temperature setback ahead of the time you actually go to sleep (2 or 3 hours, typically).

With a good programming you will scarcely notice the house cooling off when going to bed, and you will not have to support any discomfort.

Obviously, you should also program your thermostat in order to attain the regular temperatures two or three hours before the wake up, in the morning, or the return to home, in the late afternoon or evening.

Programmable thermostats & Winter operation and temperatures

For winter operation, consider setting the thermostat to 55ºF/12ºC at bedtime and 68ºF/20ºC otherwise. These temperatures allow a comfortable ambiance; higher temperatures will correspond to higher costs: each degree requirement represents a substantial energy cost.

If you live in a cold state minimum temperatures of 50ºF (10ºC) will avoid home water pipes freezing.

Summer operation

In the summer, you might only need to program your digital thermostat to cool your home for one or two periods during the day: typically the late afternoon and evening hours, when people are at home.

For summer operation, consider setting the thermostat temperature at 78ºF/25ºC (when at home) and at 85ºF/30ºC or higher when no body is at home.

Minimum periods

Do not hold or override the pre-programmed settings constantly or for short periods. Programmed settings should be kept for relatively long periods of time, as much as possible. Minimum periods of 4 hours are desirable.

Away of home for an extended period

Typical programmable thermostats have two types of hold features: 1) hold, vacation or permanent; and 2) temporary.

The first hold feature is conceived for periods when you are away of home for longer period, namely weekends and vacation periods. Obviously you should set this feature at the right temperature, for those extended periods; in other words, in summer, set a temperature several degrees warmer than the normal comfortable one; in winter set it several degrees cooler. Otherwise you will lose energy and money.

Fast heating and cooling

Do not set your thermostat to extreme temperatures, to heat or cool your house faster. It will not result.