The one most-used interactive control a homeowner has with their HVAC or furnace is the thermostat. For decades, this device has been a manual connection, basically controlled with a lever. A user moved the dial or lever towards warm for higher temperatures and lower towards cold for cooling.
Eventually, more modern units changed this feature to a dial, removing the sharp little level thing that would hurt a hand, and then electronics arrived. With electronics, thermostats quickly went to push button designs, but the idea and function were still the same fundamentally – manual change in increments. A key new feature was later added, however, and that was memory.
Add in the Ability to Remember
With memory, thermostats started to become programmable in the sense that they could be managed with schedules. This started really becoming standard by the late 1990s, and ranges based on the clock and days provided a more efficient use of an HVAC as well as energy costs. With utility bills rising, especially during drought years, the cost of HVAC has become more visible in household expenses. So, basic programming became essential.
Night and Day Difference Today
Today, programmable thermostats are far more. They have both smart features and remote access and management through Internet connections. By including Internet of Things technology, the latest thermostats really meet the full definition of a programmable thermostat in the full sense of the definition and term. And that difference also now allows fine control of temperature, both for when changes are actually needed versus guessing a time and providing smart sensing for rooms affected. That last part is probably the most noticeable for efficiency, with thermostats now knowing when someone is in the room or area to be serviced.
Benefits and Advantages
Clearly, the most obvious benefits of a programmable thermostat include remote management of the thermostat and temperature when a person is not present or actively managing the system. That can be through distance connection via the Internet or after hours when a person is asleep.
Additional advantages come in the form of tech learning. Some of the latest thermostats are able to pick up on detailed patterns, adjusting temperature as needed by the hour instead of by half or four-hour increments. This approach really reduces use to just when it is most needed, saving on energy consumption and cost.
Many of the latest smart thermometers can also be quickly integrated into existing IoT systems and Internet management through platforms like Amazon, Google, Apple and more, making it extremely easy for users to manage the thermostats with mobile devices as well. That includes verbal commands versus digital input.
Probably a big win for those who like to see data over time, smart thermostats have the ability to track, record and produce trend data in detail of what’s going on with usage. Nothing beats a diagnostic trend chart from data collected when it comes to seeing the effects of usage behavior and how to change it in a home.
Enhanced Monitoring and Safety
Probably the biggest win for homeowners with programmable thermostats comes in the form of additional sensors for safety.
From carbon monoxide warnings to system performance monitoring, advanced systems can tell a homeowner far more information about what’s going on with a furnace or HVAC versus just noises or things shutting off. The amount of information that now becomes available is a leap forward for the lay person versus needing to have the same knowledge as a technician to know what’s going on or troubleshoot.
Getting Started
The best way to integrate a programmable thermostat in a home is through a professional installation. While it is possible in some cases to install through DIY approaches, a professional installation will cover integration with an existing system as well as any equipment changes needed for making it work seamlessly. There is a combination of electrical work, technology and compatibility involved, not all of which is easily learnable with an Internet video tutorial or similar. Instead, a professional installation covers all the bases, and a homeowner gets to enjoy an advanced control, tested and working.
