Here is a way to save energy and money on your heating and cooling bills. Replace your old thermostat with a new programmable one. Every degree you cut back over an 8-hour period will save you 1%, which of course can add up to hundreds of dollars. A programmable thermostat let you set different preprogrammed temperature setting for different times of the day for each day of the week. Simply program in the day, the start and end times and the desired temperature for each period and your thermostat does the rest.
Always look for the energy star, to make sure it meets the energy efficiency guidelines established by the government. Your thermostat should be located on an inside wall, about 5 feet up from the floor. In order to get an accurate reading, it should be away from any conditions that could adversely affect the temperature, like direct sunlight, or drafts, things like that. If those conditions do exist, you would want to talk to your heating and air professional about moving a location of your thermostat. Before you start, turn off the power to your furnace and air conditioner at the service panel. Now, remove the cover from your old thermostat. Some units have locking screws, while others snap on and off. So, consult your instructions if you need to.
Now, you can remove the thermostat from the wall by simply unscrewing the mounting hardware. Once you have removed the cover, place a piece of tape on each of the wires with the letter code of the terminal that you are connecting it to. Because there is no standard color code, each letter might not necessarily match the color of your wire, that is why it is important to mark the wire with the corresponding terminal code, that is the letter you see right here, before you disconnect it.
Once everything is marked, simply disconnect the wires from the terminals with a screwdriver. Oh, here is a good tip, to keep the wires from falling back into the wall, just wrap them around the pencil, once you have disconnected them.
Separate the front of your new thermostat from the base. In this case, there is a catch on the bottom that when pressed, lifts up to remove the body from the base. Position the base against the wall with the wires protruding through the center opening. Use a small level to lined it up properly and mark the screw holes with a pencil. Remove the base and drill 3/16 inch holes in the marked screw locations. Tap a plastic anchor into each of the holes, until it is flushed with the wall. Feed the wires through the opening and attach the base to the wall with the screws provided.
Okay, now it is time to get everything wired up. Now, this is where it really comes in handy to have the wires properly marked. Now, you have noticed earlier that we had extra wires that we are not using, do not worry about it, that is okay, just disregard those, everything will be fine.
With the screwdriver, connect each marked wire to the appropriate terminal on the new thermostat. If your connections do not match, consult the manual for the correct wiring set-up. Install new batteries into the main control unit, make sure the size and polarities are correct, then press the reset button to clear the program memory.
Now, attach the control unit to the base, by hooking the top and swinging down the body to snap it into place. Turn the power back on and test your thermostat to make sure both the furnace and air conditioner are cycling properly. Of course, your heating and cooling needs will change with the seasons, so you probably need to adjust the program periodically to meet your lifestyle. And, if you have more than one heating and cooling system, well, an adjustable thermostat on each one means more efficiency. You can save money, while you are away and still come home to a comfy cozy house.
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