Are you one of those people whose energy bills always seem to be too high? Do you receive high electric bills during the summer due to the constantly running air conditioner? Does a similar situation happen in the winter; the gas bill goes up due to the continuous use of the heater?
If yes, then you must be looking for ways to cut your energy costs. Surely, like every responsible citizen, you must also be wondering how to reduce your carbon footprint. We’re here to find you a way out. You need the right thermostat; and to learn what makes a good thermostat and how it can improve energy efficiency, you need to read this concise article.
TYPES OF THERMOSTAT
A thermostat is a central component of any HVAC system that controls the distribution of air in your house. Thermostats come in three different types, each having a different effect on your energy usage.
- Manual thermostats: These are the simplest and oldest types of thermostats. Aside from being less energy efficient, they are also more expensive. You cannot automatically set the temperature, but you have to move their needle to make your HVAC system maintain that temperature.
- Programmable thermostats: These sophisticated thermostats let you create schedules and customize settings for every day of the week separately. When you’re out of the house, they keep your energy usage to a minimum. You can save a lot of money on your energy bills by installing such thermostats.
- Smart thermostats: They are WiFi-supported that can easily be accessed and controlled from your desktop computer or mobile devices. Among all types, they are the most technologically advanced, as well as the most energy-efficient thermostats.
Thermostat and Your HVAC System
Knowing your home’s HVAC system is the first step to choosing the right thermostat. To determine what type of HVAC system you have, you should check its voltage, whether it’s a 110v-240v high-voltage, or a 24v low-voltage system, or a direct-current system. There are also 24 millivolt gas or oil furnaces. There are specific requirements for each HVAC system in terms of thermostat and energy efficiency.
Furthermore, you should know if you have a stage-one unit with only an on/off setting or a stage-two unit with multiple settings. You can learn what type of thermostat your HVAC system will support by looking at labels given on most thermostats. It should be working with one of the several requirements including stage-one, stage-two, direct line, zoned HVAC, or others.
Programmable Thermostat and Energy Efficiency
Installing a programmable thermostat will let you automate your heating and cooling program in your home by using a programmable thermostat instead of continually changing your settings.
The majority of programmable thermostats are capable of automatically adjusting the temperature inside your home 6-10 times daily. The automatic settings can also be overridden at any time manually, without interrupting the daily and weekly temperature settings.
QuickAir experts highly recommend installing programmable thermostats as they are the most energy-efficient and easy to use. However, you have to first make sure of its compatibility with your HVAC system.