Install a Programmable Thermostat
Chances are that if you are reading this post you do not have a programmable thermostat installed in your home….what are you waiting for!?! The key function that makes the programmable thermostat great is it’s ability to monitor your room/house temperature and make adjustments based on set points that you input. Set points you ask? Most programmable thermostats come with four set points: WAKE (set the time you get up), LEAVE (set the time you go to work), RETURN (set the time you come home), and SLEEP (set the time you go to bed). For each of these set points you enter the temperature that you want your house set at. For example, when I wake up in the morning @ 7am my thermostat will bring the house temperature up to 20 Celsius. When I leave for work @ 7:45am the set point changes to 16 Celsius, which means that the furnace will not come on unless it goes below 16 degrees. When I come home from work the set point changes back to 20 degrees @ 4:40pm, and then goes down to 18 degrees @ 10:00pm when i’m ready for bed. If you have an old style of thermostat you would have to do that every day 4 times a day!
So you may be wondering what’s the benefit of all those different set points? By lowering the temperature when you’re not home you’re saving money because you’re using your furnace or baseboard heaters less. Now of course you could still do this with a conventional thermostat, but you would have to remember to change the dial 4 times a day everyday. With a programmable thermostat you input your set points once and that’s it! Studies have shown that by installing a programmable thermostat you could save up to 25% on your heating costs….so I recommend that you look into getting one as soon as you can.
The cost of a programmable thermostat can go from a base model of $35 up to a 7-day touchscreen model for around $150. Most people will be fine with the basics, but if your work schedule is constantly changing I would go with a 7-day unit.
