When a heat wave hits, your air conditioner becomes your best friend. As outdoor temperatures rise, your cooling system works harder and longer to maintain comfortable indoor spaces. This often leads to higher electricity usage, inconsistent temperatures, and additional stress on your HVAC equipment.
A smart thermostat offers real-time control, efficiency, and comfort. If you’re looking for a smarter way to beat the heat, installing one of these in your home can make a noticeable difference in comfort and utility costs.
Energy Savings That Add Up
A major benefit of a programmable thermostat is its capacity to cut energy use during the most costly time of year for cooling your home. During a heat wave, your air conditioner may be running almost nonstop, especially if you’re not actively managing indoor temperatures.
That’s where programmed schedules come into play. With this, you can simply set it and forget about it, allowing the temperature to adjust to your preferred setting without requiring any further thought.
With a programmable thermostat, you can pre-set temperature changes based on your schedule. For example, you can increase the temperature while you’re at work or sleeping, and cool things down in your living space just before you get home or wake up. It also makes maintaining a steady setting while you’re at home easier for consistent comfort.
Even small adjustments lead to significant savings. According to the Department of Energy, you can save up to 10% a year on cooling costs by turning your thermostat back 10 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours a day.
That’s especially helpful when cooling costs spike during a prolonged heat wave. Some energy companies charge more during peak hours. With a programmable unit, you can increase the temperature slightly during these windows and shift cooling to off-peak times. This will help you avoid added fees without sacrificing comfort.
More Consistent Cooling
If you adjust your thermostat manually throughout the day, chances are you’re either letting your home get too warm or overcooling it. This kind of yo-yo effect leads to temperature swings and can force your HVAC system to work harder. A programmable thermostat helps maintain a more balanced temperature.
You may turn your thermostat way down during a heat wave, thinking it will cool the house faster. However, that only causes the cooling unit to run longer. Programmable models maintain steady temperatures, helping your home feel more comfortable without unnecessary overuse. Running your system at full throttle all day like this puts stress on the compressor and shortens your system’s lifespan. By reducing runtime during off-hours and eliminating constant starts and stops, a programmable thermostat helps your system work more efficiently.
Remote Climate Control
Smart thermostats go even further than programmable ones, allowing you to control the temperature in your home from anywhere. You can simply open the app and make real-time adjustments as you need. Some smart thermostats use geofencing to track your smartphone’s location. When you leave home, the thermostat automatically adjusts to an energy-saving mode. When you’re headed back, it switches to your preferred settings so that you walk into a perfectly cooled house.
Many smart thermostats also integrate with home automation systems, including Amazon Alexa and Google Home. That means you can adjust settings with voice commands to optimize the comfort level in each room.
Create Custom Schedules
Everyone in your household has their schedule, and that schedule may not be the same every day. Programmable thermostats allow you to create custom settings for weekdays, weekends, and different times of day. Keep the house slightly warmer during the day while the kids are at camp, then cool down the bedrooms in the evenings when everyone is home.
This allows you to avoid running the air conditioner in unused rooms. These small adjustments can lead to long-term efficiency improvements, especially when your cooling system is under stress from record-high temperatures outside.
Alerts and Optimization Features
Many smart thermostats offer helpful features beyond basic scheduling and remote access. They also send you alerts about your maintenance needs as well as provide you with ideas that will help optimize your cooling system.
Air filters in your cooling system can clog quickly, but to minimize this, your smart thermostat can send you reminders to change them. The application sends alerts based on the length of your system’s operation. This is especially important during a heat wave when your cooling unit runs more frequently.
Some models generate monthly usage reports that show when and how much energy your cooling system uses. These insights help identify wasteful patterns and optimize your system’s performance.
The most advanced smart thermostats utilize adaptive learning that allows them to learn from your behavior. They automatically adjust based on your preferences, the amount of indoor humidity, and local weather conditions.
Potential Rebates and Incentives
Many utility companies offer rebates or incentives for installing programmable or smart thermostats. These programs often apply to ENERGY STAR-certified models and may even include a discount on professional installation to make sure your new unit is as efficient as possible.
That’s where our team at Greiner Heating and Air comes into play. Before making a purchase, you can inquire with a member of our team to learn about the available programs. You may be able to offset the upfront cost of the thermostat and start saving right away if the right rebates and incentives are available.
Professional Installation Ensures Maximum Benefits
Hiring a professional from our team to install a programmable thermostat is often the better choice than attempting to do it yourself. Many of the available smart models require intricate wiring and compatibility checks to make sure they will function with your HVAC system. Your system may need integration to work with zoned systems.
When we come to your home to install a smart thermostat, we do the following:
- Confirm compatibility with your current system
- Install and wire the thermostat
- Connect Wi-Fi features and test remote access
- Guide you through app setup and programming options
- Calibrate the system for optimal efficiency
Our team can also recommend models based on your home’s layout, size, and cooling needs. If you are installing a smart thermostat as part of a larger HVAC upgrade, our expert input ensures that everything works together seamlessly.
Contact Us About a Programmable Thermostat Today
During a heat wave, your home’s cooling system works overtime. A programmable thermostat gives you control over your indoor climate while helping you reduce your energy consumption.
From setting schedules that match your lifestyle to adjusting temperatures remotely, these thermostats will keep your family cool during heat waves. Add in insights that occur in real-time and integration with other devices, and you’re optimizing your entire home environment.
Trust Greiner Heating and Air with your family’s comfort as you brace for another sweltering summer. We have been serving Solano and Yolo Counties since 1991 with our reliable heating and cooling services. Upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat now by contacting us today!
