By Sharon Omahen
University of Georgia
Everyone wants to save money on their home cooling bill and
University of Georgia experts say installing a digital thermostat
is a quick, easy way to do it.
“You can cut your cooling costs significantly by raising your
home’s thermostat 5 degrees at night before you go to bed and 10
degrees during the day when no one is home,” said Michael
Rupured, an Extension financial management specialist with the
UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
It’s so easy to forget
Lowering the setting on your thermostat sounds easy enough, but
in today’s busy world, this simple task isn’t so simple.
“Remembering to do this every day is a challenge, which is why
you should consider purchasing a programmable, or setback,
thermostat,” Rupured said. “The initial investment of less than
$60 could save you hundreds of dollars in the long run.”
A setback thermostat lets you program the temperature in your
home to suit your needs.
“If you plan to be out of town for the weekend,” he said, “you
can program your thermostat to increase the temperature when you
are gone and lower the temperature an hour or so before you
arrive home. You can also program the thermostat to turn on
before you come home from work so you can arrive to nice cool
house.”
Select one that’s easy to set
When shopping for a programmable thermostat, Rupured says to
search for one that’s easy to program.
“You should be able to easily set the clock and change the start
time or temperature for a program period,” he said. “You should
also be able to override the current programmed temperature by
manually changing the setting.”
Make sure the digital display is easy to read and understand.
“You need to be able to tell the current time and temperature at
a glance,” Rupured said. “With the press of a button, you should
also be able to see the temperature you’ve programmed and the
program period in effect.”
And don’t shop in haste. Make sure you shop around for the best
deal in town.
“Home improvement stores and mass merchandisers carry these
products, so there’s no telling how much you can save on your
purchase if you compare prices,” Rupured said.
If you’re replacing an old thermostat in the same location, you
might want to consider hiring a heating/cooling contractor unless
you’re comfortable working with wiring.
A programmable thermostat isn’t just a summer-use product. The
same features that will save you money on your cooling bill will
also save you money on your heating bill next winter.
