In this article, we’ll talk about the top 4 reasons why using programmable thermostats can prove to be highly beneficial for you as a homeowner. So, let’s begin!
- Helps You Save Money On Energy Bills
- Very Convenient To Use
- Comes With Hi-Tech Options
- Elongate The Life Of Your HVAC System
Before we explain the reasons why to use a programmable thermostat: let’s talk about what it really is. A programmable thermostat is a gadget that links with the HVAC system that allows you to smartly control the temperature settings of your home.
A programmable thermostat allows you to set ‘temperature schedules’ for your home’s heating and cooling system. You may want your home to be warm between 5 pm and 8 pm, and cooler during the night time between 12 am to 7 am. The choice is yours to make; once you’ve programmed the thermostat, it maintains that same temperature without your interference. Amazing, right?
Unlike manual thermostats — where you have to constantly monitor your home’s temperature — a programmable thermostat pretty much works on autopilot once it’s been programmed. They’re truly a technological breakthrough in home climate control, offering you several solid reasons to use them.
#1: A Programmable Thermostat Helps You Save Money On Energy Bills
A programmable thermostat makes your home more energy-efficient. You don’t need the air conditioning or heating to be on while you’re not at home. Setting this up by programming your thermostat can lead to massive cost savings, so you only use heating or cooling when it’s really needed.
Did you know that heating and cooling can make up to 50% of your energy bill?
That’s why, if you use less energy for heating and cooling, you’ll see a huge reduction in your energy bills. It is estimated that a programmable thermostat can help homeowners cut energy costs by 10 – 30% annually. This could translate to several hundred dollars a year in savings.
For every 1 degree Fahrenheit you reduce on your thermostat, you essentially save 1% of energy consumption. So if you reduce the heating by 10% during the nighttime in winter, you use 10% less energy, which can cut your energy bill by 10%.
Clearly, even the smallest of modifications can make a huge difference to your energy consumption levels, leading to large cost savings. And with large cost savings, you also make a positive impact on the environment, by reducing your energy footprint.
#2: It’s Very Convenient To Use
With a manual thermostat, you have to manually adjust temperature levels all the time, in order to enjoy a consistent temperature in your house. But with a programmable thermostat, you only have to adjust temperatures once a season, since it adapts to your home routine.
So basically, with a programmable thermostat, you can just set it up once and then forget it. There’s really little to no interaction with the thermostat once it’s been programmed. On the other hand, if you’re using a manual thermostat, you’d have to be actively involved in adjusting the temperature settings, depending on your preferences.
Another reason why programmable thermostats are very convenient is that they’re very easy to use. While it may sound as though they’re quite hard to use, they’re actually very easy to operate once you get the hang of it. All you need to know is what temperature you want inside your house at which times, and it will do all of the rest.
#3: It Comes With Hi-Tech Options
Most advanced programmable thermostats are connected to WiFi, so they allow you to make modifications remotely through your smartphone or another smart device. You need not manually punch in your settings into a plastic device. You can be anywhere and adjust the settings through your laptop, phone or tablet.
Another key feature of more advanced programmable thermostats is that they allow you to set temperature settings according to ‘zones’. This implies that your home can have different temperature settings for different zones. You could choose your living room to be warmer than your bedroom in winter, especially if you have a lot of guests over. Or you can choose to keep your kitchen operating at 20 degrees Celsius the whole year.
This results in a highly energy-efficient home since the temperature of every room and every nook and corner would be intelligently managed, optimizing the use of your HVAC system.
The great thing about some programmable thermostats is that they also give you information about your HVAC system. So you might get a beep from it when your air filters need changing, or when any part of your HVAC system needs servicing. This is how a programmable thermostat helps you maintain itself.
More importantly, as artificial intelligence technology grows inability, some programmable thermostats will be able to ‘learn’ your behavioral patterns, and set temperatures automatically. This means that you probably won’t even need to set temperatures once your thermostat learns more about your preferences, and will be able to suggest temperatures robotically.
#4: Programmable Thermostats Elongate The Life Of Your HVAC System
Since a programmable thermostat is only heating and cooling as preset by you, your HVAC system only gets utilized to the bare minimum, as per your temperature settings. All this means is that you run your HVAC system for a much lesser number of hours.
On the other hand, with a manual thermostat, no matter how hard you try to reduce the number of hours you use your HVAC system, you will end up using more than you need since there is manual involvement in setting the temperature levels of your home.
This means that a programmable thermostat is much softer on your HVAC system, reducing its wear and tear, while a manual thermostat is much rougher on your HVAC system since it ends up getting used for a longer number of hours. Clearly then, a programmable thermostat will elongate the life of your HVAC system, while also needing fewer repairs.
Ultimately, a programmable thermostat is needed if you want to maintain a consistent temperature inside your house the whole year-round. Whether you have a snowstorm happening outside your house or a heatwave, it won’t matter if you have a good programmable thermostat doing its job. Our team at Cascade Mechanical offers a variety of services and is ready to discuss the best options available for your home or commercial property, anytime.