When the cold winter winds blow, we turn up our heating. When the sun’s rays sizzle outside, we crank the air conditioning. However, while adjusting the thermostat definitely increases comfort, it also increases energy bills. According to the government program ENERGY STAR, almost half of the energy a household uses goes to its heating and cooling systems. If the best way to save money and conserve energy is to reduce the use of our HVAC systems, how do we do that without sacrificing comfort? Customized Thermostats A programmable thermostat gives you complete control over your home’s temperature because it allows you to preset certain times that you want the heating (or air conditioning) increased or decreased. For example, if you go to work from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., your thermostat would automatically turn the heat down after you leave and turn it up right before you get home. If used correctly, a programmable thermostat can save you between 10%–35% of your energy bill each year. Below are some of their other benefits:
  • Several of the thermostats allow you to program a customized schedule for each day of the week.
  • You can program the thermostat to increase or decrease the temperature multiple times throughout the day.
  • You can quickly and easily override your settings if you want to adjust the temperature.
For ultimate customization, pair a programmable thermostat with a zoning system. A zoning system breaks your home or apartment into four areas, allowing you to simultaneously have varying temperatures in these areas. For example, if you spend the majority of your day in your home office, you could have the heat for your office zone set at 70 degrees and the heat for the rest of the zones lowered to 55 degrees. Another way to ensure maximum energy efficiency is to regularly maintain your heating and air conditioning systems. Allied Services, Inc. specializes in HVAC maintenance, repair, and installation in Dayton, Ohio, and the surrounding areas. Contact us today at (937) 269-5059 to schedule an appointment. We’ve been helping people with their heating and cooling needs for over 57 years, and we look forward to serving you, as well.