Understanding & Controlling Your Programmable Thermostat

If the thought of high energy bills and uncomfortable temperatures flood your thoughts during the transition of winter to summer, it may be time for you to invest in a programmable thermostat. These thermostats communicate with your HVAC system, telling it what to do according to your schedule. However, to get the most out of your new device, you need to understand how it works, and learn how to control it.

Types of Thermostats

Different programmable thermostats offer different scheduling patterns. However, most do include routine times to set according to when you wake up, leave home, return home, and go to sleep. There are 4 types of programmable thermostats:

- - 7 Day: allows you to schedule each day individually
  - 5-1-1: allows you to schedule Monday-Friday on the same schedule, Saturday on one schedule, and Sunday on one schedule
  - 5-2: allows you to schedule Monday-Friday on the same schedule, and Saturday and Sunday on the same schedule
  - 1 Week: Keeps the schedule the same for every day of the week

It’s important to know that if your schedule changes, you can change the schedule on the programmable thermostat. Or, if you need to make a temporary change, you can do that as well.

Figure Out a Daily Schedule

It’s likely that your schedule is usually the same from day to day. Knowing your schedule gives you great opportunity to save money with a programmable thermostat. By setting your programmable thermostat according to your schedule, your system will work more efficiently and effectively while keeping you comfortable all the while. So, how do you sync your new device to your lifestyle?

- - Go to sleep: Schedule your thermostat to decrease your heat or increase your air (depending on the season) by around 3-5 degrees 30 minutes before going to sleep each night. You’ll save money even in your sleep!
  - Wake up: In the morning, you can have your thermostat scheduled to be running normally again 30 minutes before waking up. This will keep you from being uncomfortable first thing in the morning.
  - Leave home: 30 minutes before leaving your home, your thermostat should be scheduled to run at about 5-10 degrees higher or lower (depending on the season) while you’re away.
  - Return Home: Again, 30 minutes before you return, have the temperature scheduled to be comfortable again when you walk in the door.
  - Repeat: Repeat throughout the week whenever your schedule is on this cycle. For most of us, this is every week.

Figure Out a Weekly Schedule

If your schedule isn’t the same during the week vs. the weekends, you may want a 5-1-1 or a 5-2 programmable thermostat. If your schedule changes daily, you’ll want a 7 day programmable thermostat. No matter your lifestyle, these thermostats can be scheduled accordingly and will always work towards saving you the most energy possible.

Our Thermostats

Sleeping Giant offers a number of different smart and programmable thermostats. Our most popular thermostats and a few of their features are listed below.

- - Standard programmable thermostats: these thermostats allow you to program in your schedule for each day of the week. They are quick to install and work with most comfort systems. Our Platinum and Gold programmable thermostats will save you the most energy and even connect with your wifi.
  - Smart thermostats: With the ever-changing, internet-enabled world, we’ve made it possible to control your comfort from your fingertips with our Nexia Smart Thermostats.
  - Want to keep holding on to traditional thermostats? Our American Standard hard-working, reliable thermostats suit every system and any budget while still giving you control of your home’s comfort right at your fingertips.

Sleeping Giant HVAC offers several great models of smart thermostats. We often recommend the American Standard 950 or 850 controls because they work best with high-efficiency equipment. They both offer large, easy to use touch screens and can be controlled from any device. These thermostats can also tell your comfort system how to regulate humidity in your home, which is a big factor in our climate. Smart thermostats are a great investment that can aid in daily efficiency!

What If My Schedule Changes?

As mentioned before, if your schedule changes, it’s not a problem! Programmable thermostats are great for keeping up with your normal schedule, or for times when your schedule changes, such as going on vacation, staying home for a long weekend, or having to call out sick from work one day. We always recommend these thermostats for our customers so they can make changes to their home comfort depending on their lifestyle or the weather.

Learn More

To view the thermostats we offer in and around Childersburg, visit our Thermostats page on our website or call us at 256-378-6556. We are your locally owned American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning Customer Care Dealer in Childersburg, AL. We care about the comfort of your whole home and regularly provide tips and inspiration on home-related topics.

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