Are your home’s air conditioning and heating system run by your temperature changes or by a programmable thermostat? If it’s not the latter, it may be time to start thinking about switching to a thermostat that can save you money. Programmable thermostats come in a wide variety, with brands likes Nest, Honeywell, and many others. These companies are creating innovative products that can be finely customized to each homeowner’s needs, down to the hour.
Based on a study from Nest, using a Nest thermostat can
provide real
energy savings for homeowners. The numbers range anywhere from
10-12% for heating usage and around 15% for cooling usage. If these
percentages are compared to average energy costs, it means that homeowners are
able to save around $130 to $145 every year on their cooling and heating
budget.
Maximize savings with
a Nest…
Looking for
ways to save with a Nest thermostat?
We’ve provided some key tips to keep in mind below:
Be sure to teach your Nest– As a learning thermostat, you’ll need to show it the ropes for a few days. That means turning down the heat or AC when you go to sleep. Don’t worry – Nest will learn your routine after a short period of time and adjust to meet your predicted heating and cooling needs. Still don’t think the Nest has you figured out, not a problem, go into the settings and schedule the temperature per hour if needed.
Utilize the Away feature correctly – By setting your Nest to “Away”, it will know that you aren’t home and that you don’t need your system to spend unnecessary energy keeping your house cozy or cool as your “Home” settings would allow. Whether you use Auto-Away or manually set it to Away, your Nest helps you get the most savings.
AC & Heat at once – Let us explain, the Nest has 3 main settings “Air Conditioner”, “Heater” or “Air conditioner & Heat”, if you live in or near Houston – you know our seasons change hourly, literally. So by utilizing this setting, it could be cold in the morning before you leave for work but by the time you come home you don’t need the heater on so this feature will turn the air back on and cool the house down before you get there. Plus theirs an application for your phone so you can turn it on before you arrive.
How does a
Programmable Thermostat put SAVINGS back in your POCKET?
The modern
home is becoming more and more integrated. Features like programmable
thermostats are becoming the new ordinary. Nest stands out from your average
programmable thermostat with two key programs: the exclusive Auto-Schedule and
Auto-Away features. The Nest thermostat actually works to fine-tune your
heating & cooling schedule for you as seasons change, ensuring you save as
much as possible from spring to summer to fall to winter – year after year.
With finely tuned heating & cooling schedules alone, Nest users can save
5-10% on their usage and spend. Although Nest may not be compatible with all units
and homes, Air Technology, LLC Air Conditioning & Heating has many options
to choose from when it comes to programmable thermostats. We will help you find
just the right thermostat to fit your home, style, budget, use and system
compatibility.
Other Tips to Reduce
Electricity Costs –
Keep your degree changes minimal – When increasing your heater’s temperature on chilly days, keep the temperature changes within 1 ºF increment. For every 1 ºF you turn your thermostat down, you will use 1% less energy. That means if you reduce your heating by 10 degrees at night, you will use 10% less energy. The savings are larger the bigger the difference between inside and outside temperatures. The lower you can keep it, the more you can save on your energy bill. However, if you do have to raise it, try to keep the temperature changes as small as possible to reach your desired comfort levels.
Don’t be scared of your Ceiling Fan – Ceiling fans are more than a low-cost cooling
option for milder summer days or a substitute for air conditioning. With those
hot summer days just around the corner, using a ceiling fan can make a huge difference
in your energy bills. “But fans won’t lower my room temperature?” You are
correct, but they will move cooler air around the room and across your skin,
increasing evaporation and creating a wind-chill effect. Because ceiling fans
create a breeze through the whole room and move more air, they cool more
effectively than pedestal or tabletop fans. Running a ceiling fan with
your air conditioning will let you raise your A/C thermostat by around four
degrees and still feel just as cool. Just as above, raising your thermostat
reduces the amount of energy you use for cooling by 3%-5%. A ceiling fan uses
around the same amount of energy as a light bulb, so the cost of running one
won’t negate your air conditioning energy savings.
Talk to an Air Technology
NATE Certified technician today to get more information!