Digital Thermostat and male handHave you ever seen the old TV infomercial for the RonCo Rotisserie oven?  You remember the one that you can “Set it and forget it!”  This is how your home’s comfort system should work, you should be able to set it and forget it.  There are a multitude of thermostats on the market that will control your heating and cooling system but which one is the right one for you?

A Programmable thermostat will most assuredly save you money in the long run by allowing you to set the thermostat to heat or cool only during designated times keeping you from cooling an empty house.  The first thing to consider is compatibility, here are a few common terms that will help you while shopping for a new thermostat, (but if you’re not sure if a particular model will work with your system, contact a heating and cooling professional for advice).

 

  • One-stage heat or cool:  These thermostats work with HVAC systems with separate heating and cooling units.
  • Multi-stage heat or cool: These work with furnaces and air conditioners with multiple speed settings.
  • Direct line voltage: These are compatible with homes that use 110- or 240-volt direct current power for the thermostat.
  • 24mV: These rely on power from a transformer in the HVAC system.
  • Battery powered thermostats: These don’t require hard wiring into your home’s electrical system.

The next thing the keep in mind is what kind of schedule you are looking to maintain.  Programmable thermostats come with various levels of customization.  Here are the most common types:

  • Seven-day models: These models give you the most options, allowing you to set a different program for every day.
  • 5+2-day models: These let you have one program for weekdays and another for weekends.
  • 5+1+1 models: These let you set one program for weekdays, one for Saturday and a separate program for Sunday.
  • One-week models: These let you set one program that runs all week.

Another level of efficiency is the Smart Thermostats.  These thermostats come with range of features that make them an appealing option to some homeowners.  One of the most appealing features smart thermostats offer is the ability to control and program your home comfort system remotely.  How nice would it be to raise or lower your thermostat from the comfort of your chair or bed without having to move a muscle?  They can even be programmed to alert you when the power is out at your home so that you can address the issue immediately.

Today’s new generation of thermostats come with various different options and while features like a backlit display or voice activated programming are not essistential you should get a thermostat with the features that are important to you.  We believe that an educated customer is the best customer and that is our goal, to educate our customers so that they can get the best possible service and product. No one should ever feel like that are being taken advantage of and at AC Wizard we strive to make sure that every customer is an informed consumer and has all the information needed to make an educated decision and never feel like they are being taken advantage of. When quality matters, call AC Wizard at 214-342-2665, we are here to help.