In order to save some real money on your energy bills, you may want to consider following some tips that will help you to program the thermostat in a more cost effective way. Whether your home warranty will cover a new thermostat, or if you plan to just learn how to better manage your existing one, the following should help you to really save some money on your next utility bill.
The first thing you can do to properly program the thermostat to save you money is to turn it down. If you are going to be gone for a few hours, turn it down. If you will be gone for the weekend, turn it down. While you may want the home to be at a comfortable temperature when you get back, it doesn’t need to be at that same comfortable temperature while you are gone. Realize that you can heat it up or cool it off fairly quickly with a nice heating and AC system. If you’re not going to be there, it could save you quite a bit to keep it down until you get back and just wait a few minutes when you’re home to get it back to a comfortable temperature. If your unit does not get to a proper temperature in just a few minutes, you may want to look at your home warranty to see if a new unit is a possibility.
The second thing you can do with your thermostat to save money is to turn down the temperature at night during the winter and turn it up during the summer. By changing the temperature by just five or ten degrees, you can dramatically change your energy bill. When you wake up in the morning, set the thermostat back to where you want it to be, jump in the shower, and when you’re out, the house will feel perfect again.
The third thing you could do to save money with a thermostat is to look into purchasing a digital, programmable thermostat. Many of the programmable thermostats are covered by a home warranty and are easy and convenient to use. Some can be remotely accessed by your cell phone, and others by way of the internet. This way, if you accidentally leave the thermostat up and you head off to work, you can simply get online to turn it back down again. In addition to remote access, many programmable thermostats learn your schedule and will turn themselves up or down whether you are home or away.
Whether or not your home warranty covers a new thermostat and heating and AC unit, there are always steps you can take to reduce the energy bills you pay for your home. From turning down the temperature when you leave the house or while you are sleeping to installing a new unit with or without a home warranty, you could be noticing the savings on your very next utility bill. Whether you have been suffering the heat of summer or the chill or winter, take some extra time to look at your thermostat and find out what you can do to save a little money.