Need Help Installing Your New Programmable Thermostat?

Heating and cooling costs account for a significant portion of the home energy budget, and an ideal way to cut down on energy use and utility bills is to reduce the amount of energy used for heating and cooling by adjusting your thermostat accordingly.

Thermostats are a vital part of your home, as they help your heating and cooling equipment maintain the optimal temperature setting, and today’s high-tech, electronic models are a vast departure from earlier mechanical styles. Modern programmable thermostats are also more likely to result in significant energy savings because they allow you to program your home temperatures to suit your lifestyle, as you can keep things comfortable when you’re at home and it will automatically set back your temperatures when you’re away or sleeping, whereas older thermostats operate at one setting regardless of the time of day. In fact, adjusting your thermostat just one degree at night and during the times when you’re at work can even cut heating costs by 3 percent, and doing the reverse in the summer can save you 6 percent.

Upgrading your current thermostat and installing a programmable thermostat is also quite easy. Follow these steps to begin saving money this winter:

What You Need:
-Programmable thermostat
-Screwdriver
-Screws
-Masking tape

1. Turn off the power to the thermostat, loosen the screw terminals, and disconnect the wires. Use masking tape to label the wires.
2. Remove the body of the thermostat and spread the wires apart to keep them from falling behind the wall.
3. Mount the new thermostat through the base of the old one or use drywall mounts.
4. Connect the low-voltage wires to the correct terminals, and keep in mind that you may need to strip the wires first.
5. Install the thermostat’s batteries, attach the body to the unit, restore the power, and begin programming your thermostat.