These months that call for little in the way of heating or cooling provide the perfect opportunity for residential property owners to improve their existing systems for better efficiency in the coming months.  After all, improved efficiency also means lower utility bills.

One of the most popular upgrades in recent years is the smart thermostat.  Programmable thermostats and those capable of learning your routine to adjust set temperatures accordingly are extremely popular with homeowners.  After all, they can make the living space more comfortable, but also reduce the energy consumption of the system when the space is not occupied, or while the homeowner sleeps.

Programmable thermostats are becoming rather commonplace these days, which means that prices have come down and most HVAC technicians are well versed in the installation of the energy-saving devices.  The programmable option is a good one for those families that have fairly consistent routines.  For instance, a family that sees all members leave the house during the week from approximately 8:00 to 4:00, and tends to be in bed by 10:00 each evening.  It would be relatively simple to determine that the temperature set points could be adjusted for maximum efficiency between 10:00PM and 6:00AM, as well as between 8:00AM and 4:00PM each weekday.  And, the option to temporarily override the programed schedule would account for any infrequent changes to the typical routine.

For households that do not have such consistency of schedules, programmable thermostats can be a bit more challenging. This is why more homeowners are considering smart thermostats, which can be programmed just like those above, but go a step further to improve efficiency.  Motion and light sensors are employed with many of these to detect movement (or, rather, the lack of it).  This allows the thermostat to automatically switch to away mode.  If the thermostat recognizes that there is a time of day when the space is consistently barren, it will automatically adjust the programmed settings and, thereby, will reduce energy consumption of the system without disturbing the comfort level in the space while the residents are there.

It’s a good idea as an HVAC technician to discuss the available options, and the benefits of each.  These thermostats can provide a nice boost to business during the shoulder months.