Programmable thermostats truly are the ultimate in
convenience. Today most of them can be programmed to turn on and off at the
precise times that you want multiple times a day. You can control the exact temperature while
no one is home to greatly reduce energy costs but always come home to the
perfect climate controlled environment.
Here’s an example of what you can do with a modern
thermostat. Let’s assume that your normal weekly schedule is going to bed at 11
and waking up at 7 to prepare for the work day. You leave for work at 8:30 and
arrive home at 6:00 in the evening.
You could set your heating or air conditioning to a lower
setting at night until 6:45 in the morning, 15 minutes before you awake to
start the day. That way by the time you’re headed for your morning shower
you’re in the “Goldilocks Zone”, the temperature is “just right”! The system
can again lower it’s settings for your 8:30 departure and remain at the lower
setting until 15-30 minutes before you arrive home from the daily grind. Some
thermostats available today can actually do much more than this simple routine
including the ability to control it from a telephone but you get the idea.
You can literally save hundreds or even thousands of
dollars a year on energy costs by installing this very reasonably priced
gadget. It is one investment in your home that will always pay off in the long run. If you decide the time has come to
upgrade your thermostat you can easily do it yourself and it takes very little
time. Here’s what you need to know.
The only tools you will need are a couple of
screwdrivers, a level and a drill and drill bit. First we need to remove your
existing thermostat.
1.
Make sure the power is turned off at the circuit
breaker/fuse box and then remove the thermostat cover.
2.
Remove the wires from the thermostat and be sure
to label each wire (most new thermostats provide stickers for this purpose) as
you go.
3.
Remove the body of the thermostat from the wall
and DON”T ALLOW THE WIRES TO FALL INTO THE WALL! Spread them out so that they
don’t accidentally go into the hole.
Pretty simple, right? Now we will install our new
programmable thermostat!
1.
Remove the base from the new thermostat and
place it over the spot where the old thermostat used to be. You might want to
use your level at this point to be sure that your new thermostat isn’t
“crooked” when you’re done.
2.
Use the base of the new thermostat as a template
to mark the exact locations on the wall where you will need to screw it in. A
pen, marker or even a screwdriver will do.
3.
Now simply drill holes for the screws where you
marked the wall. Make sure you use the proper size drill bit; holes that are
bigger than the screw don’t usually work very well!
4.
Here’s a trick worth knowing: Fill the holes
around the wire with paper towels to help avoid drafty air from entering the
thermostat. Believe it or not this could actually affect the accuracy of the
thermostat. Some new thermostats come with a special material for this very
purpose but if yours didn’t, paper towels will work pretty well. Pull the wires
through the hole in the back of the base and screw the base onto the wall. If
you have drywall be sure to use the drywall anchors that were included with the
new kit. This will ensure that your new thermostat is solidly mounted.
5.
Using the labels that you attached to the wires
when removing the old unit, connect the wires to the new thermostat. Be sure to
follow the wiring instructions on the new unit.
6.
Now attach the new unit to the base and you’re
done! Be sure to read the programming instructions for your new programmable
thermostat so that you can get fully understand its features.
Now it’s time to start saving money!
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