Programmable thermostats provide residential and commercial establishments the ability to automatically adjust the indoor temperature during those times when a house or building is typically unoccupied. In the same way, a thermostat is able to adjust the temperature up or down to accommodate the time periods when people occupy the premises in order to maintain a comfortable setting, thus maximizing energy savings by cutting down on wasteful usage. Such devices may be referred to as clock thermostats, or setback thermostats. Whichever the case, it performs as a governor on the output of heating or cooling with respect to occupancy.
The basic thermostat operates by sliding levers that can be set to the desired temperature and only implementing a single program with two controlled periods – hotter and colder. More sophisticated devices will allow up to two programmable periods, however, either of these options can create a void on the weekends for any occupants who may find themselves subjected to uncomfortable temperatures as the program cycle is repeated each day of the week with no variation. As with most clock devices, there is a rechargeable backup battery in the unit that powers the clock, recharging when the system is not calling for heat.
Digital thermostats provide the versatility to allow for up to 6 periods for each day, plus the ability to establish unique temperatures. The level of freedom to work with such a comprehensive data range enables the user to program a dynamic temperature schedule to optimize energy savings. Typical energy savings for a homeowner are about two percent per one degree Celsius that they can lower temperature settings on a thermostat. Coupled with savings is the decrease in carbon emissions as a result of lower energy use.
While setting a programmable thermostat is not overly complicated, a review from your installing technician of how to set a programmable thermostat to desired temperatures for your living space is recommended. A programmable thermostat is able to run for extended periods of time without need of adjustment and delivers the continued benefit of energy savings and the reduction of energy waste.