Programmable Thermostats
Written by Elizabeth Wood
Editor In Chief, United Home Improvement

Programmable thermostats are a wonderful way to save yourself money each month, and live each day in a comfortable environment by automatically having your temperature adjusted. By adjusting the temperature setting for you, programmable thermostats maintain the highest or lowest required temperatures during your sleep and when you are away. Also, this technology pays for itself over the course of several years.

Traditional thermostats must be manually adjusted to change the indoor air temperature. Often people forget to adjust the thermostat when they are leaving or going to sleep. Programmable thermostats will remember for you.

Programmable thermostats have several unique features. Depending on the unit that you purchase, your thermostat will either have some or all of these features:

• Liquid crystal temperature displays.
• Back-up battery packs.
• Storing and repeating multiple daily settings.
• Controlling dampers that are set in ductwork, sending cool or warm air to needed areas.
• Adjusting heating or air conditioning turn-on times.

There are several different types of automatic and programmable thermostats to select from. Prices will vary from around $35 to $200. Electromechanical thermostats (EM) are generally the cheapest to come by. They work best for households that follow a regular routine each day. Other options include digital thermostats, hybrid thermostats, and occupancy and light sensing thermostats.

Keep in mind, the location of your thermostat can affect its performance and efficiency. You want to make sure that you have easy access to your thermostat, but it is recommended to keep it away from direct sunlight, windows and doorways. Also, make sure that the unit you are purchasing is compatible with the electrical wiring found in your current unit.

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