Your Thermostat Choice Is Extremely Important for a Central Air’s Efficiency

Your electric bill is probably one of the biggest expenses in your home, especially in the middle of Summer. This is why people eschew using the air conditioner entirely or switch to a more efficient thermostat. Fortunately, there are now lots of programmable thermostats that are making HVAC systems even more convenient and cost-efficient.

Switching to a Better Thermostat

Smart thermostats are the latest craze for modern HVAC systems due to numerous features with an emphasis on connectivity with mobile apps. Some of them may also be integrated within IoT systems with other appliances.

Being able to remotely control and plan your temperatures allows you to save power and feel comfortable without fiddling with the control knob multiple times a day. A more advanced feature involved Geofencing, in which your thermostat will switch off or go into a different temperature setting once you leave your property.

The primary advantage of a smart thermostat is its ability to learn patterns in your home so that it will adjust for certain events. This may include when people leave or arrive, the room temperature or other triggering events supported by your sensor. Be sure to read the manual to see what your smart thermostat is capable of.

Properly Installing a Thermostat

Before you get excited by your new & improved product, you should learn how to wire a thermostat so that it is safely installed and won’t cause a failure within the entire system. If you are not technically capable of installing it safely, it’s worth hiring an HVAC guy for safety’s sake.

Just like when wiring any other electrical equipment, you need to shut off your breaker to prevent electrocution. Also familiarize yourself with the different wiring types, from 2 to 5-wire thermostats, with varying wiring color codes.

Putting Your Thermostat In The Right Spot

Your smart thermostat is dependent on getting accurate temperature readings so it is important to rule out variables that could affect it. If the thermostat is too hot, your central air will probably be triggered to go at full blast when unnecessary. If too low, you will save power but the house will get uncomfortably hot, completely blowing the convenience factor of its auto-adjustment feature.

While deciding on where to install the device, you need to figure out which parts of your home have temperature extremities. This could include spots with lots of sunlight exposure, near doors with outside drafts, or near your bathroom that has a hot water heater. Incandescent lights can also mess with the sensors of your smart thermostat.

Ideally, you want the thermostat in the room that will usually utilize the air conditioner. You want to put it on one of the walls that do not have decorations or furniture in the way. You can use a thermometer to test out temperature variance within your home to help come to a decision.

---

With your new properly installed and configured thermostat, you should notice a difference in your electric bill this Summer. In addition to a more efficient central air, you should also make sure your house is properly insulated so that the cool air doesn’t escape. If you have experience with one of the new smart thermostats on the market, feel free to share your experience in the comments below.