When we started reading about the issue of thermostats, someone commented to us that programmable thermostats were impossible to use.We can’t seem to get this right ourselves. So, let’s check in with the experts.

We started with Energystar:

For heat, the presets are:

• Wake and evening: less than or equal to 70 degrees
• Day and Sleep: Setback at least 8 degrees

Keep your thermostat set at energy saving points for long periods of time(at least 8 hours). This should include during the day when no one is home, and throughout the night after bedtime. You use more energy if you constantly override the pre-programmed settings. Cranking your thermostats up or down will not heat or cool your house any faster.

Energysavers, also a government site, recommends setting your thermostat back 10-15 degrees, setting it to 68 when you are awake.

It is not an easy thing. We’ve covered what the government recommends for programmable thermostats, but what else is there? Do you want a touchscreen thermostat? Do you even need a programmable, despite what is recommended?

And let’s go the ultimate in control…a wi-fi enabled thermostat. You can control your thermostat from anywhere in the world. But, unless you are in frequent need to change your settings on the go, this seems unnecessary. The new NEST thermostat is actually a wi-fi enabled learning thermostat that learns from your habits and from weather forecasts to make adjustments.

But, as nice as NEST is, it doesn’t seem like something we’d get. We are upgrading our thermostat after this reading, for a different reason. Programmable thermostats come in a few varieties. 7-day programmable, 5-2, 5-1-1, etc, based on the complexity of the program. We are replacing ours to go from a 5-2 to a 5-1-1 with a special vacation mode for when we go away, to override the normal program. And that upgrade cost us less than $40.

What are your thoughts? Do you have trouble setting your thermostat? Did you give up on even trying?

 

Related articles

• The Nest Learning Thermostat (gadget.com)
• 3 Ways To Keep The Heating Bill Down (consumerist.com)
• Winter Weather Tip: Save Energy & Money By Installing an Energy Star Thermostat (smarthome.com)
• Energy Savers: Install A Programmable Thermostat For Better Savings (baltimore.cbslocal.com)
• iNeed a new Thermostat? (noodleonthis.com)
• Allure Intros EverSense Thermostat System (jetsongreen.com)