How a Programmable Thermostats Works - Programmable thermostats can save you more than ten percent on your homes utility bills. For that reason a programmable can pay for itself within a few years depending on the type and expense of the type you purchase. I always lean towards Honeywell thermostats simply because I’ve seen their reliability in the field and sometimes ease of use. Among others, you can expect good quality from Honeywell thermostat products. The new, hi-tech style currently out on the market is the Honeywell touch-screen thermostat.

Honeywell Thermostat Features | How a Programmable Thermostats Works

This Honeywell thermostat is very easy to use and program. It can be detached from its base and programmed from the comfort of the kitchen table. This Honeywell thermostat offers the home or business user a very easy way to save energy cost without the frustration of complicated programming. It is recommended, however, that a professional install this Honeywell thermostat and show you how to program it for the first time.

Additionally, for heat pump users, this Honeywell programmable thermostat has optional termination points inside it so that an outside air temperature sensor (sold separately from the thermostat) can be hooked up allowing you to program the Honeywell thermostat to shutdown the outdoor portion of the heat pump when the temperature outside falls below a certain temperature.

Air Source Heat Pumps

The reason air source heat pumps are so popular in the southern regions of the country is because heat pumps heat more efficiently when the outside air temperature is 35 degrees Fahrenheit and above (unless you have a geothermal heat pump). It then becomes necessary to run auxiliary heat. The way the average heat pump system works (or how they are installed) is the heat pump condenser continues to run even below the 35 degree temperature. This thermostat when used with the outside air temperature sensor will automatically shut the outside unit off, and turn on the auxiliary heating, allowing you to realize energy savings.

How a Programmable Thermostats Works

This outside air temperature feature on the Honeywell thermostat can also be used for display purposes only (versus a control/display point) simply for monitoring outside air temperature in your home or business. So whether you own a heat pump or a conventional system you can see what the outside air temperature is from inside the home or business with the Honeywell thermostat.

Honeywell thermostats are by far the most popular and rugged you can purchase. Honeywell thermostats lead the market in thermostat sales because of their features and usability. Honeywell thermostats are highly recommended by many professionals in the HVAC field.

Who Doesn’t Need a Programmable Thermostat | How a Programmable Thermostats Works

If you are or someone else is at home most of the day and night, you most likely do not need a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats are designed for the family on a regular schedule. However, most programmable thermostats can be used just as a non-programmable thermostat works where it is changed by the user anytime. Sometimes the thermostat will time out and revert back to the program but it is easily overwritten by a manual input.

Some programmable thermostats also have a feature in the settings to use for manual operation only so you don’t have to use the program at all. Newer WiFi thermostats offer remote monitoring and control so if you forget to set the thermostat to the desired setting before you leave you can use your smartphone or a computer (connected to the internet of course) to change the setting remotely.

Thermostats like the Nest thermostat have adaptive learning based on occupancy. The features in the Nest know when people are present and will automatically adjust the temperature based on occupancy.

Who Does Need a Programmable Thermostat

Those that wake at a certain time, leave the home at a certain time, return a certain time, and go to bed at a certain time (on a regular basis), will benefit from a programmable thermostat. Read the following information and see if owning a programmable thermostat will benefit you.

Programming | How a Programmable Thermostats Works

You have four settings on the (typical off the shelf) programmable thermostat. (*Some programmable thermostats require you to have a degree in rocket science to program. Probably the easiest thermostat to program I’ve found that is available to the general public is the Honeywell VisionPro 8000 Programmable Thermostat.) The following list assumes the season is winter and describes how a programmable thermostat works.

• Wake – this is the setting you want the temperature to be when you wake. If you wake at 6 a.m. you probably want to set the wake time and temperature for 5:30 a.m. and whatever the desired temperature is for you.
• Leave – this is the time the last person leaves the home for the day. If that person usually leaves at 8 a.m. then the thermostat can be set to change the temperature to say 60 degrees Fahrenheit at 7:30 a.m.
• Return – this is the time that the first person arrives home for the day. If that person arrives home at 4 p.m. then the time and temperature can be set for say 70 degrees Fahrenheit at 3:30 p.m. That way when the person arrives home, the home is at the desired temperature.
• Sleep – this is the time when everyone goes to bed for the night. If everyone is in bed by 10:00 p.m. then the thermostat can be set to change the temperature to a lower setting (say 60 degrees Fahrenheit) for the night.

Conclusion | How a Programmable Thermostats Works

There are, as described by the programmable thermostat labels and advertising information, thermostats that are 5-2 day programmable thermostats and thermostats that are 7-day programmable. Either should allow you to tailor each day to suit your needs and schedule. Most programmable thermostats have settings for both the weekdays and weekends so on Saturday and Sunday you can tailor the programmable settings according to your comfort level and usual schedule for those days.

All programmable thermostats have options to override the program for manual settings and an additional benefit to owning a programmable thermostat is that most are equipped with a compressor delay to protect your compressor from short cycling.

How a Programmable Thermostats Works

Resource: The Home Comfort Book: The ultimate guide to creating a comfortable, healthy, long lasting, and efficient home