4 Programmable Thermostat Tips To Help You Save Money

In the past, if you wanted to optimize your heating use, it would require constant manual monitoring and adjusting of your thermostat. Nowadays, programmable thermostats make it easy to reduce your heating use where possible and increase it when you need it. The team at ALM Services has outlined 4 ways that you can save up to $180 a year by using your programmable thermostat to improve the heating efficiency of your home.

1. Set Temperatures Low When You Can

There’s no need to keep the temperature high while you’re not at home. Set the thermostat 10 to 15 degrees lower for the hours when you’re at work. You can also do this for the hours when you’re asleep, as being in a warm bed greatly reduces the need for ambient heat.

2. Have the Thermostat Change in Advance

A good rule of thumb is to have the thermostat change temperatures about 30 to 60 minutes before you need it. For example, have it begin increasing the temperature of your home 30 minutes before you plan to wake up in the morning. This means you’ll be comfortable right when you wake up, which will reduce any temptation you may have to needlessly boost the temperature. Correspondingly, you can set the thermostat to reduce temperatures 30 minutes before you go to bed, which is a great way to reduce your heating bill.

3. Use Your “Hold” Setting When You Go on Vacation

Using the “hold” or “vacation” setting, set the temperature to a constant 50 degrees, the minimum to keep your pipes from freezing, when you are going to be away from the house for several days. This keeps your thermostat from cycling to higher temperatures when no one is around to enjoy the benefits.

4. Remember to Adjust When Your Schedule Changes

Have you started going to a new meeting or event every Thursday evening? Or the gym every Saturday morning? Remember to update your thermostat accordingly. If you regularly adjust your programmable thermostat to changes to your schedule, that can lead to great savings in your heating bill.