While plenty of homeowners swear by manual, mercury thermostats of old, the truth is that parts and replacement models are impossible to find these days. When your trusty old thermostat finally goes kaput, you won’t have much choice but to upgrade to a modern, digital model.
When you do, it’s a good idea to choose a programmable thermostat, and you’re sure to discover that there are plenty of benefits to doing so. In fact, you’ll wonder why you stuck with your outdated manual model so long. Here are just a few of the advantages you’ll enjoy with a programmable thermostat.
Energy Savings
When you use a programmable thermostat appropriately, setting a schedule that rolls back heating or cooling when you’re not at home during the day, as well as during nightly slumber, you could see a significant savings on energy use and associated utility costs. According to Energy.gov, you could save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling costs when you roll back your thermostat by 7-10°F for just eight hours a day. Many programmable and smart thermostats claim to pay for themselves within just a couple years after installing them.
Interior Comfort
It’s not unusual for households to set the thermostat seasonally and simply leave it at a set temperature. However, this doesn’t necessarily lend itself to creating the most comfortable interior environment. With a programmable thermostat, you have the option to introduce zoning into your home, allowing you to easily set different temperatures for different floors, or even rooms in your home, depending on your setup.
Plus, if you’re worried about returning to a home that’s too hot or cold, all you have to do is set your thermostat to switch back to your comfort level shortly before your anticipated daily arrival, ensuring that you enter a comfortable atmosphere each and every day.
Hassle-Free Control
While you can certainly adjust a thermostat manually if you like, doing so multiple times a day is an annoyance and a time waster. With a programmable thermostat, you can add convenience to your daily life, in addition to saving money and creating a comfortable home interior based on your schedule.
Even better, you can choose a smart programmable thermostat to enjoy remote monitoring and control via smartphone or tablet. Some companies offer learning thermostats that follow your daily routine and then create a schedule for you based on several days of usage.
Plus, smart thermostats often integrate with other smart home systems, so you can monitor your thermostat, lighting, and alarm system all on one platform, or even use Alexa or Google Assistant to control the temperature. With the right thermostat, you can add incredible convenience to your life, maintain optimal comfort in your home, and save money along the way.
Sign up for an energy audit assessment to find additional ways you can save on your current energy bill.