Set it, forget it and save!

One of the easiest ways to decrease your ecological footprint and save money is to purchase a programmable thermostat!

The logic behind programmable thermostats is simple. The heat/cold on when you are home, off when you are out. Furthermore, to maximize the comfort and savings benefit of the thermostat you can set it so that the heat/cold goes on a few minutes before you traditionally get home so you walk into a comfortable environment. During the winter the thermostat can also be programmed to go a few degrees colder around bedtime considering you are going to be under blankets anyway.

When buying a programmable thermostat there are a few things to look for:

Easy to program. Any thermostat you buy will have to be programmed. Furthermore, at times, such as season and schedule changes, you might have to re-program it. While with most thermostats this is a pretty simple process, look for instructions and characteristics that make sense to your technology comfort level.

Easy to install. Buying a programmable thermostat and never installing it does not save any money. Like programming, the installation of the thermostat is pretty straight forward, usually just a matter of removing the old one and reattaching the wires to the new one. If you are not sure about the installation, ask about that from the people you are buying the item from. They should be able to give you clear instructions so you can gauge for yourself the difficulty level.

Easy to read. Consider the size of the viewing screen. Look for one that will allow you to see the information clearly and easily. This is particularly important in homes where there are elderly or people with weak eyesight.

Easy to change on the fly. Schedules change. Take a look at how difficult it is to change the temperature setting manually without having to reprogram it.

Flexibility. Some thermostats allow for more flexibility then others. The biggest difference is "five and two" or "seven day". "Five and two" means that Monday - Friday will have the same time settings and Saturday and Sunday will have the same settings. "Seven day" means that you can program each day individually. If the household schedule during the week is generally the same each day then a five and two would do fine. If there are some days that people are home during the week then a seven day might be a better option.

Also take a look at the number of different time settings you can have in a day. Some thermostats will only let you set two or three times, whereas others could have several more. Caution - the more features you have, generally the more complex and expensive the unit tends to be.

More information about what to look for with programmable thermostats check out this recent article on Thermostats from Consumer Reports.