Save Money and Use Less Energy with a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat is an increasingly popular way to adjust the temperature of your house according to a set of pre-programmed settings that take effect at different times of the day. While it takes a little bit of time to figure out the temperatures you need, the benefit is that you can save up to 10% off your energy bill while reducing your energy consumption. It does not need to be complicated to set up your programmable thermostat.

Set a Schedule

The first step in programming your thermostat is to check what kind of schedule you must see what your thermostat can accommodate. Is your schedule the same each day? Does it change on weekends? Maybe your schedule isn’t steady at all, and you need a different setting for each day of the week. Based on your schedule, you can then choose one of four different thermostat programs:

• 7-day programming:
  This is the most flexible option and best for individuals or families with changing schedules. 7-day programming allows you to program a different heating and cooling schedule for each day of the week. This way, it can adapt to your schedule, and you don’t have to worry about changing the temperature when you come and go.

• 5-1-1 programming:
  This heating/cooling schedule is best for when your schedule is stable during the week but changing on weekends. 5-1-1 programming allows you to program one schedule for Monday through Friday and then program a different schedule for Saturday and one for Sunday.

• 5-2 programming:
  This schedule is very similar to 5-1-1 programming but does not allow you to program different schedules on Saturday and Sunday. Instead, you will have one schedule for Monday through Friday and a different schedule for Saturday and Sunday.

• 1-week programming:
  Perfect for individuals and families who have very stable schedules, 1-week programming, allows you to set the same schedule for each day of the week.

Benefits of a Programmable Thermostat

• Temperature Consistency

• Automation = Convenience + Savings

• Increases Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

• Saves You Money – really, we mean it!

• Control Your Home’s Temperature from Anywhere

• Ability to Lock Your Settings

Set a Temperature

Once you’ve figured out your programming schedule for the week, you need to figure out comfortable temperatures for the summer and the winter months. You will want different temperatures when you are home and awake, home and asleep, and away from home.

• Home and awake:
  21 C is often considered comfortable for most people. Based on this, you can raise it 1-2 degrees in the summer and lower it by 1-2 degrees in the winter to save money. During the in-between months of spring and fall, you can often turn off the thermostat altogether for maximum savings.

• Home and asleep:
  The human body is most comfortable sleeping in slightly cooler temperatures. Some people like their sleeping temperature cooler than others, so you may like having the thermostat turned down several degrees at night, or you may be more comfortable having it only 2-3 degrees lower. Any amount helps with energy consumption. You may find turning off the thermostat and opening the windows wide perfect if the weather cooperates during the summer months. You can program your thermostat to start adjusting a little while before you go to sleep and then go back to the “awake” temperature a short time before you wake up.

• Away from home:
  There is no need to keep the thermostat turned much higher or lower than necessary when you’re away from home. In winter, this means you can have it turned down by several degrees while you are away, while in summer, you can turn it up by several degrees or turn it off altogether. You can then program the thermostat to kick in a little while before you return home so that the house is comfortable. A furnace will NOT have to work harder to warm or cool a house after the temperature has been adjusted during the day, so this will not waste energy. This is a myth! With a Wi-Fi-enabled thermostat, you can control all your home temperature settings from your phone while on the go to avoid wasting energy if you are running late or away from home.

Once you've figured out all the settings you’d like to program into your thermostat, you can input the schedule. Select a day of the week and the period of the day, and then enter the temperatures you would like set for the house and repeat as needed until each day is filled. Then, look for a button to enable the schedule. And that’s it! You’re all set to start saving energy and money!

Programmable thermostats offer a variety of benefits, including better control and convenience. However, their most essential benefits are the money you’ll save and the noticeable decrease in your home’s energy consumption. You’ll see these savings on your utility bills month after month, meaning long-term savings.

It is normal to be slightly daunted by the idea of a programmable thermostat. In reality, this could not be any further from the truth. In fact, installing a programmable thermostat is a relatively simple task, taking 30 minutes or less. Any HVAC technician can install it for you quickly if you’re hesitant. As for programming a Napoleon programmable thermostat, you’ll find this remarkably easy. These handy devices are not only simple and straightforward to use, but they’re essentially set & forget!