Homeowners are constantly looking for ways to control heating and cooling bills. Using a programmable thermostat to better control your home's temperature will make energy savings easier a more attainable goal. 

Programmable Thermostat Options 

• Electromechanical thermostats are easy to set, but only offer basic programming options.
• Digital thermostats offer complex programming options, including having different schedules during the work week and weekends and automatically updating during bi-annual time changes.
• Hybrid programmable thermostats use a combination of both technologies. They're easy to adjust manually, but have more flexibility than thermostats without digital controls.

In addition to the three varieties of programmable thermostats, there are thermostats that compensate for the slow reaction time in radiant floor and steam heated homes. Homes that use heat pumps or electric baseboard heating generally can't use programmable thermostats for heating and cooling, but new models have become available that can be used with them.

Here are some suggestions to use a programmable thermostat to lower your heating and cooling bills:

• Your home may have more than one thermostat. If there are several, they can be set independently of each other based on when time is spent in those rooms. Overriding the preset temperature is possible but if it happens frequently, it will cost more than correcting the settings.
• Some homes have one programmable thermostat that divides your home into multiple zones. Each of these can have different schedules, making this extremely convenient and economical.
• For maximum savings, make sure that the programmable thermostat is at the energy savings set-points for a minimum of eight-hour stretches. Having the temperature return to a comfortable level one hour before you anticipate waking up or returning home is enough time for the temperature to adjust.

To learn more about cost effective heating and cooling, contact the pros at Tri-County Heating and Cooling. Our experienced specialists have been serving the Montgomery area since 1969.

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