With the cold weather coming in North Shore, MA, you need to figure out how to work your programmable thermostat in preparation for the cold. Your standard summer settings are no longer helpful. Your system is about to take up some heavy HVAC duties and needs to be set up right for the task.
The ideal job of a programmable thermostat is to help adjust the temperatures so that your system provides the proper heating and cooling when needed. Ideally, you only need the HVAC system when you are at home and reduce the run time when you aren’t at home. Here’s how you can set up the programmable thermostat for the cold weather and what temperatures you need to set.
A Programmable Thermostat
What is a programmable thermostat? It’s simply a tool to pre-set the conditions you want during the day and turn the heating down when you aren’t at home. To use the tool, you have to be smart about it, or else it won’t save you money as you expect it to. Being strategic in programming is the only way to save money with the thermostat.
Can You Save Money with the Thermostat?
You need to be smart to save money with a programmable thermostat. For example, turning the thermostat back ten or more degrees for 8 hours daily should save you money. When you turn the temperatures back 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours, you can save on heating bills by 5 – 15 percent a year. Other factors that can help you save money other than thermostat setbacks include:
- Proper HVAC installation
- Equipment maintenance
- Equipment type and brand
- Thermal mass/installation levels
- Correct thermostat programming
What Should I set The Thermostat to?
Your comfort levels at home vary with how well you set your thermostat during the day. But since you are also considering your energy bills and don’t want your equipment to overwork, you need to have the right levels to set your thermostat. Here’s a breakdown of how to ensure the adequate performance of your thermostat during the winter:
- During Waking Hours: The ideal temperature should be 68 – 70 degrees when awake and at home.
- When You’re Asleep: You can also save up energy and bills when you sleep with the right programming; set the thermostat to reduce to 62 -66 degrees. You can set the thermostat to lower the temperatures to reduce one hour before heading to bed.
- When You’re Not at Home: Setting your temperatures to cut back 7 -10 degrees for 8 hours per day can save you 10% cost per year. Ensure you program the thermostat to reduce it 30 minutes before you leave the house. Also, ensure you set the thermostat to kick the heat up 30 minutes before you get home.
Other Aspects to Consider for the Ideal Thermostat for Winter
There are other aspects to consider to set up your programmable thermostat for the winter months other than the obvious. They include:
- Weekend Settings: If you have a thermostat that has weekend options, you need to consider using them. First, you need to look at everyone’s schedule and set the thermostat to reduce temperatures when people aren’t around for around four hours or more.
- Vacation Settings: Most programmable thermostats have the vacation option you should set up if you go away on winter vacation. Set the temperatures to a safe minimum, preventing damage to your pipes through freezing. Also, remember to set the system back to ideal settings one hour before you get home.
- Update Settings to Heat Mode: When it’s time to begin furnace performance, you need to ensure Heat mode is set.
Give Us A Call if You’re Still in Doubt
If you aren’t technical enough to understand how a programmable thermostat works or need an upgrade, you can call us. Maffei Services ensure you can optimize indoor comforts while reducing your heating bills in the winter. Contact us today.
