Why Programmable Thermostats Rock, Which One to Buy, and How to Install It
I often say that insulating and air sealing is the best return on investment of any major home improvement. Did you hear my qualifier in there? There are a few minor (and DIY) projects that save their upfront cost very quickly. The best one? Programmable thermostats. (FYI: This is NOT a programmable thermostat! And that was a hot day.)
Ah, programmable thermostats, how I love thee. You remember to turn the temperature down when I forget, you save me money every day, and you keep me comfortable when I’m at home. And you usually cost $25-50. Ahhh.
IF, that is, we take the time to program the things. I see conflicting numbers, but somewhere between 50-90% of programmable thermostats are on Hold, meaning they are set permanently on one temperature. That means they aren’t programmed, and they aren’t saving you money. It’s like owning a Prius but disconnecting the hybrid system and only running on the engine, no battery. That’s pretty dumb.
Are they a pain to program? Frankly, yes. They aren’t that bad, but they are all a little tricky, tedious, and time consuming. Still, in 15-20 minutes you should be able to figure it out. Or, if you buy a really cool one, they program themselves. More on that later.
So why go to all the trouble?
Well, every degree you turn the temperature up or down changes your bill by about 2-3%. So if you turn the heat down 5 degrees while you are at work, you save 10-15% of the energy you would otherwise use during those hours. If you do the same when you are asleep, same deal. So overall savings of 5-15% are pretty easily possible, and you won’t even be around to notice the difference in temperature and comfort.
Why the big swing between 5 and 15%? The usual answer: it depends. If you only turn it down a few degrees, there won’t be much savings. If you are like my wife and I who both work from home offices, you can’t turn the heat down too much during the day. So just like fuel economy ratings, if the car is rated 20 City and 28 Highway, you can only get 15 City if you drive like a maniac. (Don’t ask why I know this…)
OK, Tough Guy, Which One Do I Buy?
I’m so glad you asked. Like most things, there are cheap ones, medium ones, and expensive ones. Also like most things, the best value is in the middle. Here is the rundown:
a. Cheap 5/2 ones, $20-40.
These give you one program for the week, all 5 days, and another one for the weekend. I tried one and didn’t find it flexible enough. My wife and I sleep longer on Saturday than Sunday because of church. Our work schedules are different from day to day, so one day the house needs to be warm at 5, while another day 7 or 8 would work. Be strong. Spend an extra $5-10 and step up to category b.
b. Good 7 day programmable thermostats, $30-100.
These ones let you set every day differently. You get 4 settings (both a and b do this) – early morning wakeup, leaving for work, getting home from work, and going to bed. A good feature to look for is the “Home Today” button, which overrides the going to work and coming home from work settings for one day. They can be a touch trickier to program, but if you have a reasonably consistent schedule, you can figure it out.
c. Nest. $250.
King of sexiness. A couple Apple guys got together and created by far the coolest thermostat on the market. It isn’t really a true programmable, it programs itself. It’s better than a programmable. Plus there is an app for iPhones and Droids where you can turn the temperature up on your way home. (Great for freaking out roommates too.) It looks good and works good. They don’t work for my weird heating system, or else I would have 4. If you’re a geek, just buy one and tell your wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend you found a good deal (you can’t yet).
Ack! I don’t even know which end of the screwdriver to use, how can I do this myself?
First off, get a brown bag and stop hyperventilating. This isn’t the absolute easiest of DIY tasks, but it’s pretty close. Say a 3 on a scale of 10. Most thermostats only have 2 or 3 wires. There is only one critical rule:
Label the wires before you disconnect them.
Just because the wire is green doesn’t mean it is a green wire on the programmable thermostat. It may be white or red or purple or yellow or whatever. Some HVAC guys must be dyslexic or something, I don’t know why it works this way.
1. For starters just unscrew the thermostat from the wall but don’t disconnect wires. Look at the back of the existing thermostat and check the labels, i.e. W, G, R for white, green, or red. Most thermostats will come with little labeling stickers, put a W on the W wire, G on the G wire, and so forth. Don’t assume the color of the wire is the color it should be labeled. Be sure to check the old thermostat. (Hmm, wonder how I figured that one out…)
2. Once everything is labeled, look at the new thermostat and be sure all the colors are represented. If not, you may need to get a more expensive thermostat that works with more furnace and air conditioner types. (Again, don’t ask how I know this…)
3. Before you disconnect wires, turn off the breaker for the furnace and air conditioner to be sure you don’t fry something when wires get shorted together during installation.
4. Then take the wires one by one off the old thermostat and put them on the new programmable thermostat.
5. Finally, flip the breakers back on and turn the temperature up or down to see if the new programmable thermostat is actually telling the furnace and air conditioner what to do. If you just can’t figure it out, don’t panic. Just put the old one back up (the wires are still labeled) and call a heating and cooling contractor to install a programmable thermostat. This will cost substantially more, many service calls are $150-$200 before they even do anything.
6. Well, maybe 5 wasn’t finally after all. The truly last thing to do is program it. Talk to your significant other and decide on times for wakeup, going to work, coming home, and going to bed. If you want it warm at 6 AM, set the thermostat for 5:30 or 5:45, it will take a little bit to catch up. (Unless you get a Nest, and it will figure that out for you.)
So there you go. Why programmable thermostats rock, which one to buy, and how to install it, as promised.
So which type are you leaning towards or did you pick already? Do you actually use it? Have you noticed a difference in your bills? Tell me about it in the comments.
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