One of the easiest and least expensive ways to save energy in your Southwest Florida home is to install a programmable thermostat. By simply reducing the usage of your HVAC system during the times you are away from home or asleep, you can reduce your energy costs by up to 20 percent. Many of the newest programmable thermostats make it easier than ever to save money with innovative new features.<\/p>\n
Self Programming Ability<\/strong><\/p>\n Some of the newest programmable thermostats can automatically adjust their settings based on the times that your family is at home, away or asleep to find the most energy-efficient<\/a> settings for your busy schedule. They can communicate with other sensors throughout your home, such as motion sensors, to determine when it is occupied or empty, and adjust their settings accordingly.<\/p>\n WiFi Connections<\/strong><\/p>\n Many models feature WiFi connections, allowing the user to adjust the temperature or other settings from anywhere within the house with a WiFi-enabled device, such as smartphone or computer, or even over the Internet using mobile phone apps. This allows you to adjust the temperature from a distance if you are coming home early or to shut the HVAC system down remotely if there is a problem.<\/p>\n Touchscreens<\/strong><\/p>\n Older programmable thermostats could be hard to configure, with complex menus that were accessed through a very basic LCD display and a few buttons. Often, this meant that people were less likely to adjust the settings as necessary to achieve the highest energy savings<\/a>, because the process was so difficult. Many of today’s models feature intuitive touchscreen interfaces that make adjusting the settings easy, and they often offer extra information, such as the current weather, thanks to available WiFi connections.<\/p>\n Setting the Thermostat<\/strong><\/p>\n To save the most on your energy bills<\/a>, reduce the temperature by 4 or 5\u00a0degrees when you are away from home or asleep during the winter, and raise it during the summer.<\/p>\n