Change your thermostat to an Energy Star product
Programmable thermostats qualified by Energy Star include pre-set temperatures, savings
Not all home improvements made in 2009 and 2010 will gain you a tax credit. But that doesn’t mean these energy-efficient changes can’t save you some money. Small changes and upgrades in your home can make a big difference when that monthly utility bill comes. And, saving energy can also save the environment.
Energy Star, a program of the U.S. government, is a cooperative program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy, offers numerous products and home improvements on its Web site that can help save the homeowner big bucks. The organization itself is designed to “help save us all money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices,” according to the Web site at www.energystar.gov.
For example, one small product that can make a big difference is a programmable thermostat for your home’s heating and air conditioning units.
“Did you know that properly using a programmable thermostat in your home is one of the easiest ways you can save energy, money and help fight global warming?” said the site.
With the help of this government organization, home owners can even take the thought out of their home’s heating and cooling.
“An Energy Star-qualified programmable thermostat helps make it easy for you to save by offering four, pre-programmed settings to regulate your home’s temperature in both summer and winter, when you are asleep or away,” said the site. Pre-set temperatures come programmed into the Energy Star-qualified models, taking the guess work out of entering your settings.
The savings can be staggering.
“The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills, nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling,” said the Energy Star Web site. “Homeowners can save about $180 per year by properly setting their programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings.”
The recommended settings provided by Energy Star are not meant to alter your usual comfort in any way.
“The pre-programmed settings that come with Energy Star-qualified programmable thermostats are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort,” said the site. “Depending on your family’s schedule, you can see significant savings by sticking with those settings, or adjusting them as appropriate for your family.”
The idea behind the programming is simple.
“The key is to establish a program that automatically reduces heating and cooling in your home when you don’t need as much,” said the site.
Energy Star provides a chart online to show how even slight changes in your home’s temperature can save you in the long-run.
“Use the Energy Star programmable thermostat calculator to see what you can save with set-back temperatures that work for your family,” said the site.
The pre-programmed temperatures set into an Energy Star-qualified programmable thermostat include settings for the temperature to change at waking time, daytime, evening and sleep times. For example, at 6 a.m., the set-point temperature for the heating would kick on to 70 degrees F. For cooling at that same time, the air conditioning would be set at 78 degrees F.
During the day time, or 8 a.m. on a pre-programmed setting, the temperature will set back at least eight degrees F in the heat and seven degrees back in the cooling. These temperatures, of course, assume no one is home during the peak daytime hours.
When it is likely the house will once again be filled, an “evening” setting is designed to kick on at 6 p.m. At these times, the home’s temperatures will once again return to 70 degrees F for heat and 78 degrees F for cooling.
During sleeping hours, the pre-set will change at 10 p.m., the programmable thermostats will return the heating to daytime settings, or those back at least eight degrees for heating and seven degrees for cooling.
A full chart with the programmed pre-set temperatures is available online for reference. The site also lists “simple steps to energy savings” with your new programmable thermostat.
“Achieve significant energy and money savings that are possible through the proper use of your programmable thermostat,” said the site.
To start with, be sure you have the proper product for you home.
“Choose the right programmable thermostat,” said the site. “There are three types of programmable thermostats designed to best fit your daily schedule.”
For example, some of the additional features that some models include are digital displays with backlighting, touch-pad screen programming, voice or phone programming, hold/vacation features, indicators to tell you when to change air filters, indicators to signal malfunctions in heating or cooling systems and adaptive recovery/smart recovery features, or those that control the amount of time it will take to reach the next set-point temperature and reach the desired temperature by that time.
To decide what would best work for you, the site suggests considering your own schedule.
“To decide which model is best for you, think about your schedule and how often you are away from home for regular periods of time, such as work, school and other activities,” said the site. “Then decide which of the three different models best fits your schedule, the seven-day, 5-plus-2-day or the 5-1-1-day.”
The different models allow different pre-programmed settings for the number of days per week designated by the name. For example, the seven-day models keep the same schedule each day of the week, while the 5-plus-2 allows for a weekday and a weekend schedule to vary. Furthermore, a 5-1-1 allows for a different weekday, Saturday and Sunday program.
Instructions are listed online for those that wish to install their own programmable thermostat. It also includes tips for times to call a certified HVAC contractor to handle the installation for you.
“Remember, read all instructions and proceed carefully,” said the site. “Programmable thermostats are a low-voltage wiring installation and involve anywhere from two to ten wires, depending on your type of heating and cooling system. However, you should shut down your electricity during any replacement. The previous attachment points will reconnect your new unit.”
If upgrading includes more than just a replacement, the site suggests hiring an HVAC professional.
“Call your certified HVAC professional to ensure proper installation, as well as operation of your heating and cooling system,” said the site.
More information about recommended settings, instructions on setting and savings you can gain by changing to a programmable thermostat are online. For those with a manual thermostat, there are also tips online for saving on your utilities.
Visit www.energystar.gov for more information on programmable thermostats.
