Reduce Energy Costs with Programmable Thermostats in Gladstone

Let’s face facts – everybody likes to live comfortably in their own home. After a hot and tiring day during the heat of the summer, nothing satisfies like dropping the thermostat a few degrees and relaxing in the cool air from the comfort of your favorite chair. But when the energy bill arrives, the mood often turns sour quickly. Yet, some homeowners dial the thermostat up and down without a care in the world. In either case, most homeowners would be shocked to learn that heating and cooling typically account for 50% to 60% of the energy use in the whole home. In other words, more than half of the annual energy costs are directly controlled by the dial on the thermostat.

Unfortunately, here in the Midwest, our winters can be bitter cold, and our summers can be dead hot. Heating and air-conditioning usage are commonplace – so are higher energy bills in the summer and winter months. So, when you can’t avoid using the thermostat to regulate the temperature in your home, the best plan of action for saving energy costs is to optimize your home system. It all starts with programmable thermostats.

Note: As always, we’re going to suggest energy-saving tips that will allow homeowners to maximize their energy efficiency at the lowest possible cost.

Programmable thermostats: If you look at the thermostat in a typical American home, you’re likely to see an outdated panel or dial-type device with a coil-based temperature sensor, a mercury switch, and a set-point control lever for adjusting the temperature in the home. These are simple two-wire thermostats. Some of them have been around since the 1930s, and they’re all due for a replacement upgrade. Programmable thermostats are a relatively new development. You can tell them apart from their outdated manual predecessors by their digital display. You can find good-quality programmable thermostats at your local hardware store. Each make and model has a number of features that set it apart from the competing models, but all programmable models have a few set features that they all share.

1.   Programming capabilities – whether the thermostat you select offers a weekday/ weekend setting capability or a 7-day setting capability, you’re always able to set temperature guides. It’s advisable to choose one that offers maximum flexibility and control.

2.   Programming features – these features typically include a touch-screen display, backlighting for the display, and, sometimes, control via wireless internet and smartphone app. If the typical programmable thermostat costs $50.00, you can bet the ones with a variety of features will be more than double the cost. By adding a programmable thermostat to your home, you’re attempting to lower your energy costs. You’d be well advised to buy a model that offers solid control over your temperature settings and fewer bells and whistles.

Programmable thermostats typically come with pre-set temperature ranges for Morning, Day, Evening, and Night. Most feature temperature programmability for a number of periods throughout the day – allowing the homeowner to set certain temperatures for times that they are in the house, out to work, or sleeping at night. Given their ability to manage different temperature settings throughout the day, the benefits of installing a programmable thermostat are shown in the monthly or annual energy cost savings.

If you have a question about programmable thermostats and installations, Aaron’s Services encourages you to phone us at (816) 471-7890 or click here to send us an e-mail from our online form. We’ve been serving the heating, cooling, and plumbing needs of homeowners around the Greater Kansas City Area since 2006!