I now have a progammable thermostat installed with my entirely new (and **$) heating/cooling system. Articles all say you can save energy by programming to cycle up/down while away from home, but none give guidelines. The service man who installed it actually told me that if I let the house warm up during the day and have the AC turn on before I return home it will actually use more energy to cool it and I should just set it to run all day. I don't believe that... or why would they be selling them?? Anyone know where there are guidelines on what kind of temperature differentials to set it at. I'm in the south where the temp in my house can get over 100 during the day if the AC is off. But what is the max I should set it at that it'll cool to ~78 for evening again. Thanks.

First consideration I would look into in saving energy is to make sure your home has maximum insulation and adequate attic ventilation. A well insulated home will not heat up much during the day, when the AC thermostat is higher.

Then to save the most money using your thermostat, the less difference in what you want your indoor temperature to be and what the outdoor temperature is (and the difference between the two). For example it takes less energy to reduce your indoor temperature to 78 during the late evening, then it normally does to do so in the heat of the day?

Keeping windows and doors closed to keep the humidity at bay, even when the temps cool down some and you may be tempted to open up (assuming humidity is also an issue), can help you stay more comfortable too.

Insulated drapes or shades pulled, to keep any sunny windows from transfering solar heat will also help.

Heres a nice articl about them
http://www.howtodothings.com/home-and-garden/a4011-how-...able-thermostat.html

I have one but my DH is exetremely cold and i am a hot person so it's pertty much useless in this house. He will try to crank the heat up to 75 in the winter (which makes me sweat) or the one that really gets me is in the summer he will wait till I take a nap then turn off at AC like just cuz I'm sleeping I no longer need to be comfortable

I'm lucky if I can keep it at 70.. which he thinks is "freezing" half the time!

What kind of program can you set your's with. Mine you can have 4 diffrent time/date adjustments for the week days and 4 seperate ones for the weekend. Our house came with the thermostat... and some serously rotted out windows that, when replaced, reduced our engergy bills greatly!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rachel_G,

Test it both ways for a week each. You'll be able to see how much energy it uses.

I've had a programmable thermostat in my houses since 1989. The one thing I found out was not to set the temps too far apart. For example in the summer (hot in the South!) I set the temp for when I'm away from home no more than 4 degrees higher than what I want to temp to be while I'm home. Otherwise it takes the AC a looooong time to reset itself to my "at home" temp. As hot as it gets here, after I'm inside for about 15 minutes it seems like the AC is not on inside at all. That's why I have ceiling fans all over the house. (I don't understand why the decorators on HGTV and other channels always want to REMOVE the ceiling fans in favor of chandeliers.)

We have ours programmed, but when I need to switch I reset the current temp and hit hold button...usually it is 64 at night and 68 during day in Winter...if I am not going to be home for a few hours I bump and hold it at 66...if I am sitting still working on a project for a long while I usually feel the need to bump it up a notch for comfort. I am moving around most of the time which keeps me warm enough...add another layer often. Guess my biggest comfort thing is the A/C in the depths of Summer...we all sleep best with it on at 69, and I usually shut it off most days and throw the windows open unless humidity is a huge factor. Think it is a good idea to program, and time to time adjust it if it doesn't fit your life.

quote:

Originally posted by sbjordan:
(I don't understand why the decorators on HGTV and other channels always want to REMOVE the ceiling fans in favor of chandeliers.)

I have never understood that either. Our house has a ceeling fan (lights on a dimmer) in the living room and a regular one in the dining room nad it sure makes a HUGE diffrence in the comfort level of the house. There are days where it will feel to hot and I will turn on the fans and it will be fine. without the fans I would have turned on the AC which takes by far more power than the fans.

I reverse my ceiling fans in winter to circulate the warm air around the house instead of it being nice and toasty at the ceiling, but cold on the floor.

In the summer, I would rather have the fan on than the A/C, but I digress, DH don't feel the same way.

I think you just need to experiment with it. In the summer see how hot you can let it get during the day and still be able to come down to a comfortable temp when you get home.

What your AC installer is an old myth. It doesn't save a ton of electricity but it does save a little. (depending on how energy efficient your house is)

Regarding ceiling fans: I work at my house and my office is on the second floor. I've been experimenting with trying to maximize natural ventilation and have only had to use my ac 1-1/2 days so far this year. I have a ceiling fan and find it doesn't do much to keep me cool when the temp reaches 82 or so.

Yesterday I stuck a portable fan in the window next to my desk and it kept reasonably comfortable even though the temp reached 86

So now I'm thinking maybe ceiling fans are not the best way to cool a house with fans.

chris - you remind me of a particularly hot summer we had a few years ago....I had fans running 24/7 to keep the house cool & air circulating in the summer..I did the window blinds and closing doors to keep the humidity out, etc....But the nites weren't cooling down & it just got to be too unbearable w/ 4 kids always wanting/needing things we were all grumpy all the time.

I broke down and bought AC units for the windows - 1 large one for downstairs and 2 for each end of the upstairs. Comfort finally came to us and my electric bill dropped by $20!!! I was shocked!!! And i actually thought that running those AC units would be more expensive than running fans!!

And I also have a programmable thermostat & it's great!! During the winter & during the work week, I realize that i only need the house at 68 for about 30 hrs....the rest of the time it is at 65. I'm sure that is saving $ $ $.

In the summer, it is set to lower the temperature so that it is comfy to sleep. Then the AC doesn't kick back on til about 4 - 5pm in the evening!! Don't know what time it shuts down during the nite, but the house is quite cool for sleeping.