Programmable thermostats can trim the homeowner's energy bill by automatically reducing the heating or cooling loads when they are the needed the least.
Consider the schedules of everyone in the household. If there is a time during the day when the house is unoccupied for four hours or more, it makes sense to adjust the temperature during those periods. Many people prefer to sleep at a cooler temperature than the normal winter heating temp, if so, set the temperature setback a bit ahead of the actual bed time. Setbacks for cooling vary greatly by the region. Some areas require 24 hour cooling with little adjustment. Other areas may not need cooling at all for the night hours.
The location of the thermostat can affect its performance and efficiency. Read the manufacturer's installation instructions to prevent "ghost readings" or unnecessary furnace or air conditioner cycling. To operate properly, a thermostat must be on an interior wall away from direct sunlight, drafts, doorways, skylights, and windows. It should be located where natural room air currents–warm air rising, cool air sinking–occur. Furniture will block natural air movement, so do not place pieces in front of or below the thermostat. Also make sure the thermostat is conveniently located for programming.
Snugg Pro software instructions:
If there is a programmable thermostat installed in the home, check yes on the input screen, even if it is not being used.
If there is no programmable thermostat in the home, or if one needs to be replaced, check no on the input screen. This will add an average cost of $180 to the recommendation (this cost may be edited).
Some of the efficiency programs do not allow thermostat setpoints to be a recommended measure. This is because it is a behavioral measure for the homeowners and there is no guarantee that the homeowners will keep the new setpoints. However, it is still very important to fill out the setpoints in the input screens so the proper base values can be calculated. Then simply decline the measure for the improved values.
Some of the programs will allow for the cost of a new programmable thermostat.