Programmable thermostats have become increasingly popular. After being introduced in the 1980s, they quickly made their way into millions of U.S. homes. Programmable thermostats are defined by programmable settings. Also known as setback thermostats, you can program them to automatically adjust the temperature inside your home at different times of the day. Here are several benefits of using a programmable thermostat.

Convenience

With a programmable thermostat, you won’t have to manually adjust the temperature each time you want a cooler or warmer living space.  You can program the thermostat to do it automatically.

Programmable thermostats support scheduling. You can create a schedule with different temperatures for different times of the day. When a scheduled time rolls around, your heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system will turn on automatically. It will continue to run until the specified temperature has been reached, after which your HVAC system will shut off.

Notifications

Depending on the type, a programmable thermostat may offer notifications regarding the health of your heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system. Many of them, for instance, will alert you when it’s time to change the air filter. They’ll display a filter change notification, informing you that the air filter is overdue for a replacement.

Energy Savings

A programmable thermostat will likely reduce your home’s energy usage. It won’t necessarily consume less energy than a manual thermostat. Rather, a programmable thermostat will allow you to control your HVAC system automatically so that it only runs when it needed.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), homeowners save an average of 10% on their heating and cooling costs by lowering or raising their thermostat 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours per day. If your home is unoccupied for an extended period during the day, you can program the thermostat so that it’s cooler during the winter or warmer during the summer. Of course, you can also program it to turn on when your home is occupied.

Temperature Consistency

A programmable thermostat will help you achieve a more consistent temperature in your home. With a manual thermostat, you may find yourself cranking up the temperature during the winter or cranking down the thermostat during the summer simply to minimize trips back and forth to the thermostat.

For a more consistent temperature, you should use a programmable thermostat. You can program it to warm or cool your home according to a custom, pre-set schedule.