The average household spends a significant portion of its monthly budget on energy consumption. With the ever rising cost of energy, this can be an important consideration when you are looking for ways to reduce your monthly expenses.
When it comes to energy consumption, the most significant contributing factor is heating and cooling. It accounts for almost half of the average household’s energy consumption and it is often an area where there is a significant amount of wasted usage. When you consider these two points, it only makes sense to address this issue when you are trying to reduce energy consumption and save money.
One of the most effective ways to reduce waste and lower the energy consumption of your home is to consider installing a programmable thermostat. There are a variety of different programmable thermostats, some with a wider variety of options and others that basically just allow for setting a heating and cooling schedule for your home. Either way, having a programmable thermostat allows for a finer degree of control of your home climate control system and, when used properly, can save you a significant amount of money.
A programmable thermostat has a small computer that allows the homeowner to set a specified schedule for the heating and cooling of their home. This means you can set a specific temperature for when you and your family are at home, when the home is empty and for when you are sleeping. Most even have a 7 day schedule so you can account for your days off.
Having a programmable thermostat also allows the homeowner to reduce energy use without compromising the overall comfort of the home. To save money with a standard thermostat, the homeowner is forced to either turn of their climate control system when they are not at home or set it to a level that can be uncomfortable for them when they come home. With the options available on a programmable thermostat, the homeowner can set it to a state of reduced usage at times when they are away but schedule it to return to a more comfortable setting an hour before they come home. This allows the homeowner the opportunity to reduce consumption without having to make a sacrifice on comfort.
Selecting the right programmable thermostat for your home will mostly depend on a few factors. Consider how much the schedule of you and your family varies, the climate in which you live, the features beyond standard programming and the cost. Once you have assessed what kind of programmable thermostat is best suited to your needs, it is important to consider your heating and cooling needs and how they will fit into a schedule. Selecting the right programmable thermostat and having a clear plan on how you will program it will help you get the most savings.
The US Department of Energy estimates that the average household can save as much as 10% a year on the cost of heating and cooling by using a programmable thermostat. This may not be a lot of money on a month by month basis, but it is a great way to save money over time and it doesn’t require much money to purchase and install a programmable thermostat. Choosing a programmable thermostat is a simple and convenient way to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the overall comfort of your home.