The best and worst thing about owning your own home is that the house is constantly a “work in progress.” Things are never truly complete: instead, homeowners are frequently on the hunt for their next project and next home improvement. And, above everything else, they are on the lookout for something that will reduce their monthly bills.

And when it comes to monthly bills, it’s tough to beat the energy bill. The cost of heating and cooling your home only seems to get worse every year. Fortunately, there’s a possible solution to this problem: the energy efficient thermostat.

Keep reading to discover what this is and how it will help you save money!

WHAT IS AN ENERGY EFFICIENT THERMOSTAT?

If you’re thinking about replacing your thermostat, you’ve heard plenty of people talking about energy efficiency. However, you may have a more fundamental question: just what is an energy efficient thermostat?

The most basic definition is that this is a thermostat designed to maintain the desired temperature while using the least amount of energy. Such thermostats are more commonly called “programmable thermostats” or, more recently, “smart thermostats.”

Now, you know exactly what this kind of thermostat is. But is it the right choice for you and your home? To answer that, we need to review some of the advantages of these thermostats.

ADVANTAGES OF ENERGY EFFICIENT THERMOSTATS

These thermostats have a number of important advantages. Carefully review each section before making any purchase!

1. SAVING MONEY

When you’re shopping for a new thermostat, this is the real bottom line. Homeowners want to save as much money as they can each month. Fortunately, a programmable thermostat can make this dream a reality!

Temperature adjustments translate into real savings when it comes to your monthly bill. Shifting the temperature by only one degree up or down during the hottest or coldest months can knock off up to two percent off of your utility bill.

And it’s easy to make that adjustment without sacrificing any comfort. The real secret to this is the potential for variable settings.

2. VARIABLE SETTINGS

Being able to set special settings for various times is basically the “bread and butter” of programmable thermostats. It’s also your key to saving money from month to month.

For example, you can program the temperature to be higher while you’re at work and lower while you’re at home. You can also adjust it for when your family is on vacation or even while they are asleep.

In this way, you get two benefits that are rolled into one. First, there’s the tangible savings on your bill: making sure your HVAC isn’t constantly running at all times is going to put money directly back into your hand. And as an added bonus, you won’t have to constantly get up to change the temperature!

3. LESS WEAR AND TEAR

For the “saves money” benefit of energy efficient thermostats, we have mostly been focusing on the monthly savings. This is understandable, as this will be a continuous source of short-term savings. Interestingly, though, these programmable thermostats are an unexpected source of long-term savings as well.

Remember when we mentioned constantly getting up to change the temperature? As it turns out, your HVAC doesn’t like that anymore than you do. Constant adjustments add to the wear and tear of your system, and this effectively shaves years off of how long your equipment will last.

All in all, the picture is clear: programmable thermostats will save you money month to month and save you money in the long term as well.

4. OPTIMAL SYSTEMS

Chances are that you and your family often argue about what the best temperature is. As it turns out, though, there is a right answer: heating and air professionals can make recommendations for the best temperatures for each month in order to maximize your possible savings. However, for HVAC systems (and especially older systems), it’s difficult to actually maintain those optimal temperatures.

However, an energy efficient thermostat can change all of that. This will allow your HVAC system to achieve optimal temperatures, whether you’re in the depths of winter or riding a summer heat wave. And best of all, all it takes is a little bit of setup time!

5. SAVINGS FOR EVERY SEASON

The whole point of a programmable thermostat is that it’s…well…programmable! However, you don’t have to stick with a single setting for all seasons. In fact, the key to savings is to let the outside temperature do the heavy lifting for you.

For instance, during winter, you can program the thermostat to work with the sunlight during the day and reduce your heating costs. This lets you stay warm without feeling like your money is burning all up!

BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATION

At a glance, the thermostat looks pretty simple. This means that many homeowners are tempted to try to install it themselves. However, we highly recommend that you have your energy efficient thermostat installed by a professional.

First of all, the pro can help you decide on which programmable thermostat is best for your needs and your house. This can lead to a big savings of time and money, as you won’t end up buying a thermostat only to later figure out that it’s not the right one.

The pro can also offer an inspection of your existing HVAC system while they are at it. While a programmable thermostat is able to work miracles with heating and cooling, your house may be experiencing more serious issues with the overall system. In order to diagnose and repair these issues, you’ll need to have a professional in your corner!

PAYING FOR ITSELF

Perhaps the best thing we can say about these energy efficient thermostats is that they will eventually pay for themselves. Even though they are available at a variety of price points, some of our customers inevitably balk at the idea of something they see as an unnecessary expense.

Ultimately, though, those monthly savings add up. Before you know it, your efficient thermostat has paid for itself. And after that, it’s even better: you’ll continue to save money on your bill every month. How many appliances can you say will actually turn a profit for the homeowner?

CONCLUSION

Now you know what these energy efficient thermostats are and what advantages they offer. But do you know who can help you install it?

At One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning® of Charlotte, we are the best local authority in heating and cooling. To see how we can help you find the perfect programmable thermostat, give us a call today!