Efficiency is all about control. In sports, understanding your body and keeping it under control is key to athletic efficiency. In the workplace, keeping staff on a schedule and under proper guidance makes for the most efficient business. In all aspects of life, efficiency is built on a foundation of control. This is no different in the HVAC world. Without proper control, heating and cooling systems will run amok on your energy bills. They will run too many cycles/too often, they will run when they don’t need to, driving temperatures to hit extremes consistently. Luckily, we have thermostats! The thermostat lays the framework for how your HVAC system is run. In the past, thermostats were fairly basic, they were made to control the temperature and the settings to switch between heating, cooling and whether your fan is on or off. These settings worked for a time, but they didn’t provide the control options needed to reach optimal efficiencies in your HVAC systems. Enter programmable thermostats! As energy costs continue to increase, efficiency is especially important and programmable thermostats provide opportunities to greatly decrease the energy consumption of your HVAC systems. Studies show that HVAC systems can account for up to 60% of your energy costs, so it is definitely the first place you should look when trying to lower your bill. In this case, thermostats can be the solution. Programmable thermostats provide the opportunity to set temperatures based on your personal schedule. If you’re out during the day and home in the evening, you can set the temperatures so that your systems operate less during the hours that you are away. You can also arrange the temperatures based on your sleep schedule so that less cycles are run while you sleep, but pick up again in time for you to wake up comfortably. Even if your schedule changes, many programmable thermostats can be controlled remotely by a smartphone, tablet or computer. So no matter the time you can make sure you and your family are comfortable. Our partners – Daikin, Lennox, Tempstar and Goodman – all carry programmable thermostats, so there are plenty of options to choose from. Here are some of the other benefits they can offer:
Advanced touchscreen technology
Sleek, compact design with full-color display
Controls different zones independently
Complete filter and maintenance reminders
Multiple constant fan speed options (with compatible furnaces)
Superior humidity control in both heating and cooling modes
No batteries required
Non-volatile memory retains program settings through power outages
Programmable thermostats are especially important in Ontario because energy bills are charged based on a system of peak and off-peak hours. During more popular operating periods energy costs are higher. Programming your heating and cooling to run less frequently during peak hours can go a long way to lowering your energy bills. Contact Special Gas Services to learn more!