Most Cincinnati area homeowners know by now the great benefits of a programmable thermostat for improving heating and air conditioning efficiency. But the same technology that helps your furnace or boiler keep your family warm can also help with cooling costs. 

Picking a Programmable Thermostat

You have three thermostat options available, all of which are designed around the day-cycles that best fit your life:

• The 7-day model provides up to 28 different heating and air conditioning settings (four per day for seven days) to accommodate changing schedules for weeknight activities and weekend outings. 
• The 5+2 model is best if your Monday through Friday schedule is consistent. You get another setting for both weekend days.
• A 5-1-1 model allows the same schedule for the work week, but separate schedules for each weekend day. 

Heating and Cooling

Few Ohioans have identical schedules year-round. The settings on a programmable thermostat can be changed from winter heating demands to summer cooling needs. Are your school-age children home all day during the summer? You can set the thermostat to keep them cool. If they're away at camp, however, conserve energy when the house is empty, but have it cool and relaxing for your afternoon return from work. 

Reaping Rewards

• For maximum energy efficiency, install the programmable thermostat way from heat sources and drafts. Even if proper placement means having your heating and air conditioning contractor reroute wiring, the added time and expense will pay off in greater energy efficiency.
• Keep program times long — think four hours or more. Your heating and air conditioning systems won't perform efficiently otherwise. 
• Overnight and empty-house set points should vary from daytime temperatures by at least 6 degrees, though 8 degrees is better.  
• Going on vacation? Use the "hold" button to set the temperature at a constant low for heating or high set point when cooling.
• Teach family members to leave the programmable thermostat alone. Manually overriding settings wastes energy and money. 
• Each heating and cooling zone needs its own programmable thermostat. 

For more help solving your Cincinnati home’s unique heating and air conditioning needs for a programmable thermostat, contact us at Tri-County Heating & Cooling. 

Image via Shutterstock.com