Programmable Thermostats for Heating and Cooling
Of all the energy efficient, money saving improvements you can make to your home, nothing is easier than the installation of a programmable thermostat. By electronically regulating the temperature of a home rather than leaving it soley to manual adjustment, the average homeowner can save approximately $200 per year. This means the average Energy Star qualified digital thermostat will more than pay for itself in a matter of months, not years.
Advances in digital technology have made the programmable thermostat standard issue in new construction as well as many existing households. State of the art electronic models are quickly edging out older manual thermostats, and the ability to custom create heating and cooling programs by day and hour is not only convenient but cost-effective. Home furnaces and air conditioners can kick on and off at different times of the day or night, tailored specifically to meet the needs of each household's schedule. Even weekends are accounted for, as most every model of electronic thermostat takes Saturday and Sunday into consideration also.
A unique qualification of Energy Star rated thermostats is that they are required to come pre-programmed. Although adjustments can of course be made to customize the thermostat's daily heating and cooling times for each day of the week, each Energy Star thermostat comes with a default program designed to maximize the savings of both money and energy. Many people become comfortable with these default settings, and still others don't have the time or inclination to program the thermostat to a specific or personalized daily program. In these cases, the Energy Star programmable thermostat turns the heating or cooling units on in the morning (wake time), off during the day (work time), on again when the consumer returns home (evening time), and then back off again for the night (sleep time). This program, demonstated below, seems to work well for most people, or is at least very close to the average working person's daily schedule.
| Energy Star Programmable Thermostat - Default Setpoint Times & Temperatures | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Setting | Time | Setpoint Heat Temp. | Setpoint Cooling Temp. |
| Wake | 6:00am | < 71° F | > 77° F |
| Day | 8:00am | Set back 8° F (or more) | Set up 7° F (or more) |
| Evening | 6:00pm | < 71° F | > 77° F |
| Sleep | 10:00pm | Set back 8° F (or more) | Set up 4° F (or more) |
Types of Programmable Digital Thermostats
The three types of different electronic thermostats all treat weekends differently, so be sure to consider your weekend schedule before going out to shop for one.
7-day thermostats are designed for the most detailed scheduling, letting you choose a different schedule for each individual day of the week. These models will also allow you to set up to four temperature setpoints for each day.
5 - 1 - 1 units will keep a set schedule for five days (Monday through Friday) and then allow the programming of individualized settings during each of the weekend days.
Finally, the 5 + 2 day programmable thermostat is the least flexible of the three, working the same as the above model but grouping Saturday and Sunday together under the same schedule. This is adequate for people who usually adhere to more regimented schedules.
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The Department of Energy (DOE) estimates the average homeowner can save between 5 and 20% of heating and cooling costs by efficiently utilizing a programmable thermostat. |
Advanced Electronic Digital Thermostat Features
Programmable Thermostats qualified through the Energy Star program are chosen carefully, and are usually of a higher quality. They may contain advanced features, some of which are for convenience, and some which will actually contribute to efficient control of temperature. Touchpad screens make for easy programming with the touch of a finger. Backlit displays light up to the touch and stay lit while you adjust the thermostat's programming, making changes possible even in the dark. Many digital thermostat displays will show useful diagnostic as well, lighting up or blinking certain icons when there's a system problem, or even when it's time to change an air filter. Another good ideas is to make certain the model you choose has a hold temperature feature, so you can override the program without hassel.
Energy Star Manufacturer's List for Programmable Themostats
The brand names in the table below include manufacturers of Energy Star qualified digital and programmable theromstats, as well as the number of models they produce. This list may not be complete or current, so when purchasing your thermostat it's always best to look for the blue Energy Star logo.
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AED Electronics American Sensors American Std. Aprilaire Aube Technologies Braeburn Systems Bryant Cadet California Econ. Carrier Climate Tech. Controlled Air Sys. Danfoss Randall De Dietrich Eair LLC Flextherm Gemtech GridPoint Home Automation HomeWerks |
- 7 models - 1 model - 1 model - 4 models - 21 models - 10 models - 10 models - 1 model - 1 model - 12 models - 3 models - 3 models - 5 models - 3 models - 18 models - 2 models - 2 models - 1 models - 4 models - 7 models |
Honeywell Honeywell Int. Hunter Fan Co. ICM ICP Int. Comfort Invensys King Lennox Lightstat Lux Prod. MARS NUHEAT OJ Electronics Pro1 Proliphix PSG Controls Rheem Rite-Temp Ruud |
- 38 models - 4 models - 12 models - 10 models - 2 models - 5 models - 14 models - 5 models - 10 models - 5 models - 11 models - 1 models - 4 models - 2 models - 8 models - 2 models - 5 models - 13 models - 19 models - 9 models |
