furnace and air conditioning thermostats

Common programmable thermostats are mainly conceived to heating/cooling systems based on furnaces and air conditioners.

Boiler systems demand a more complex set of thermostats and valves, and heat pumps may work inefficiently with common thermostats, when in heating mode.

Also radiant heating systems and other electrical based systems work poorly or inefficiently with common programmable thermostats, due to time lags.

See, on these issues: Heat Pumps, Radiant Heating and Thermostats

Thermostats and Furnace Savings

Programmable thermostats work greatly with heating systems based on furnaces, allowing significant energy savings. You just have to program the thermostat to lower the temperatures at bedtime and to raise them before your family members get up. And to shut off the heating system during the day when nobody is at home, and set it to start up before anyone returns home (in the evening).

The common misconception that thermostats make furnaces work harder to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has ben setback, is dislocated. The system will require some extra-fuel to reheat the home, but it also saves fuel when the home drops to a lower temperature. And you will save fuel in the intermediate period.

Thermostats and Air Conditioner Savings

Energy savings provided by thermostats in central air conditioning systems are based on the same reasons provided to furnaces. Similar common misconceptions that programmable thermostats make air conditioners work harder are also wholly dislocated.