Customize Your Energy Usage Based on Your Time at Home

Before you leave for an extended trip, make sure your Long Island home isn’t using an unnecessary amount of energy by running the air-conditioning system the whole time you’re away. The best way to do this is to use a programmable thermostat to regulate the temperature when you’re not home.

Programmable thermostats are an extremely convenient way to keep your home as energy efficient as possible. Program the settings according to your schedule and you never have to worry about adjusting the temperature when you leave your house, when you come home, or when you go to sleep. Depending in your lifestyle, look for the features that best meet your needs:

Schedule Flexibility: The type of model you select will depend on your regular schedule. If you work during the week and have a different schedule on weekends, a 5-1-1 or 5-2 model will allow you to program different settings for weekdays and weekends. If you want total flexibility, a 7-day model will allow you to create different settings for every day of the week.
Easy Interface: Many modern programmable thermostats have easy-to-use touch screen interfaces or other intuitive programming features. There is no need to feel intimidated about programming your thermostat.
Remote Access: For complete flexibility, especially when you are on vacation, choose a programmable thermostat that allows remote access through the telephone or a web-based interface. You can use the most conservative settings while you’re away, and put the thermostat back to its usual settings before you return home to the perfect indoor temperature. This feature is also very useful for people who own vacation homes. You never have to worry about whether the last renter left the air conditioner running.

Programmable thermostats should always be installed and calibrated by a trained technician. The professionals at T.F. O’Brien Cooling & Heating are here to help you achieve total home comfort while keeping costs low. Contact us any time for expert advice on improving the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling system.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about programmable thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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