Saving Money and Energy with a Wall Thermostat Upgrade

As home energy costs continue to rise, many people are turning to new ways to cut costs. If you have an old analog wall thermostat, you may wish to update it to a newer digital wall thermostat that is programmable. Here are some reasons to look into this important upgrade.

Automatic Temperature Change

These new digital thermostats let you change the temperature in your home, up to four times a day. For example, if you buy a 5/2 thermostat, you have two separate programs. The first is for the five days of the week and the second is for the two days of the weekend.

Monday through Friday

Most people work from Monday through Friday, and the house may be empty during the day. You have four settings for weekday temperatures. Those settings are designed for waking up in the morning, leaving for school or work, arriving home from work or school, and sleep.

Winter Time

In the winter, you can set your thermostat to be at a warm seventy degrees (21C) when you wake in the morning. This way, you will be able to take a shower in comfort, and get ready for your day. Set your leaving time for sixty degrees (16C) and the house will stay cool, (but warm enough to protect your belongings), during the day.

When you get home, the house will back to a warm seventy degrees (21C). You can relax, eat dinner, and watch television in warmth and comfort. When it is time for bed, the thermostat will kick the temp down low, as you sleep. Make sure that you have a nice warm blanket or comforter.

Summer Time during the Week

In the summer, you will want to wake up to a nice cool house somewhere between seventy five and seventy eight degrees (25-26C). When you leave for work, the house will heat up to about eighty four degrees (29C). This is not too hot to cause any damage to anything.

When it is time to come home, your home will be nice and cool again. You can relax and enjoy the evening in comfort. At bedtime, you can have the temp bumped up a few degrees, while you sleep. The less you wear at night, the warmer you can have the temp.

Weekends

On weekends, you can keep the day temp constant and the night temp constant. It is up to you. Also, it will depend on your schedule.

Saving Money

It is very easy to save a lot on energy bills when you make it easier on your cooling and heating systems. Warmer temps in summer will save energy, as will cooler temps in the winter. Your furnace and ac will not have to work as hard. This also may save you money on wear and tear, so your ac unit and furnace may last a year or longer this way.

These new digital thermostats are not expensive. Many are less than forty dollars in the US. They also are not that hard to install, although some people may wish to have a professional installation.

In Closing

Programmable wall thermostats can save money and energy. This is good for the environment and the pocket book. If you have an old analog model, this may be the perfect time to upgrade.

AJ Folsom is a free lance writer that writes about many different subjects. She also writes a blog called Alice's Product Reviews.