1. First of all, which system do you have?
There are 4 categories your home heating system has: either single-stage, multi-stage, heat pump, or line voltage. Here is a chart to break it down:
System Heating Type Amount of Systems
Single-Stage Gas or Electric (Conventional) One
Multi-Stage Gas or Electric (Conventional) Plus Auxiliary and/or Emergency Device Two
Heat Pump Pump for Heating and Cooling One
Line Voltage Direct Current Electric Heat, 120 or 240 Volts, Single Pole or Double Pole One
2. After you have taken note of your system, which choices remain?
Now you can begin to explore your options as you have narrowed down your individual home heating system category. Thermostats to choose from now are electromechanical or digital. Basically, electromechanical models are the older styled, mercury thermostats that are inexpensive and recognizable to most people, although for safety reasons have become quite outdated. Digital thermostats use sensors to recognize temperatures and then direct your heating and/or cooling systems to work to meet your desired, set temperature.
3.Do these categories break down even further?
Yes After you have recognized your system and decided on either electromechanical or digital, you have another choice if you have chosen digital. This category breaks down into manual digital or programmable digital. These titles sound exactly as their functions. Manual digital thermostats need to be adjusted each and every time you would like your desired temperature setting to change. Programmable digital thermostats are able to be programmed for different times and settings to begin on their own for automatic temperature results!
4. Are there different programs to choose from if I have decided on a programmable digital?
Yes, there are four different versions of programs designed to fit your needs and routines when choosing a programmable digital thermostat: 5-2 day, 5-1-1 day, 7 day, or 24 hour. Each of these, also, are exactly as they sound. 5-2 day is able to program five same days with two different ones (for the weekend), 5-1-1 day is for 5 days with two separate proceeding days, 7 day indicates one straight week of a programmed setting, and 24 hour means hourly changes can be programmed for any amount of days. Whatever works best for you is available to fit your schedule. Sometimes you can even find a thermostat that has the option for 5-2 or 5-1-1, programmable or non-programmable so if you change your mind for the type of program your lifestyle requires, you certainly do not need to rush to buy a new thermostat.
You may be able to reduce the heat in some rooms that are used only for short periods of time. Try closing the louvers on the warm air outlet to reduce the amount of heat that you let into the room.
Another way to heat less is to turn the thermostat down when no one is home. If your house is empty during the work or school day, turn the thermostat down 10 or more degrees so you heat less. If you go visit the grand kids on the weekend turn the thermostat down so you heat less.
Here is where you can save with a better thermostat.
Replace your old fashion thermostat with a new digital thermostat. By using a digital thermostat, you can program it to preheat the house. When you know that he house will be warm when you get home you are more likely to turn in way down when you leave. Set your thermostat to warm up you house ready to welcome you home. A good programmable thermostat can be bought for under $100. The $20 on sale basic model I bought a works just fine.
In our house, the thermostat is set at 68 during the day and 62 at night. That is cooler than some folks like, but we like it that way. Using a programmable thermostat makes setting the temperature down at night easy and you do not have to worry about forgetting. Set it to turn the heat down about an hour before bedtime. We program ours to start warming the house up an hour before we get up in the morning.
Remember heat less by keeping the thermostat low. Turn it down when no one is home. Turn it way down when your mother in law visits. To get the feel of being there turn it down during TV football games. Turn it down and buy a new sweater with the money you save.
