Reduce Your Electric Bill With A Programmable Thermostat

Now that fall has arrived and winter will be here before we know it, now is the perfect time to install a programmable thermostat if you don’t already have one. Keeping your home’s temperature automatically regulated will be one less thing you’ll have to worry about remembering and once you complete the initial setup, you can kick back, relax, and begin to enjoy lower heating & cooling costs.

How To Install A Programmable Thermostat

If you’re even the least bit handy, installing a programmable thermostat shouldn’t take more than a couple hours and best of all, only basic tools are required. I’ve seen a number of good articles on various websites and blogs detailing exactly how to install a thermostat, but Home Depot produced this wonderful video which not only explains the installation process, but also covers the “gotyas” you should look out for, i.e. how to prevent dropping pesky wires back into the wall.

Which Model Should I Purchase?

As with any other product, there are literally thousands of programmable thermostat models to choose from. Obviously, the two deciding factors you’ll want to pay the most attention to are the thermostat’s feature set and its price. When we began investigating the purchase of our house, we were surprised to discover there were so many different features available, including:

• Digital, backlit displays
• Touch pad screen programming
• Voice and/or phone programming
• Hold/Vacation features
• Indicators which tell you when it’s time to change air filters
• Indicators that signal malfunctioning of heating/cooling systems

To get you started in your search for the perfect thermostat, you may want to take a look at each of the top five best-selling units on Amazon.com:

1. Lux Products TX9000TS Touch Screen 7 Day Programmable Thermostat ($65)
   
2. Hunter 44550 Auto Save 7-Day Programmable Thermostat ($42)
3. Honeywell RTH221B Basic Programmable Thermostat ($21)
4. Honeywell RTH230B 5-2 Day Programmable Thermostat ($31)
5. Lux Products TX9000 Smart Temp Programmable 7 Day Thermostat ($50)

Final Thought

I have to admit that I’ve been putting off the purchase and subsequent installation of a programmable thermostat for, um, a number of months now, so I’ll withold further comment until I get around to installing one myself. So maybe it’s finally time for a trip to Home Depot…

So what are your thoughts? Are you saving a decent amount of money on your electric bill thanks to a new thermostat? Sound off in the comments!

Author’s note: This post was featured in the 180th Carnival of Personal Finance.

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