If you have a programmable thermostat, you have the ability to not only control the temperature of your home during the day and night, but to save money on your utility bills throughout the year.
During the summer months, consider the times during the day when no one will be home. If everyone is out of the house between 8am and 5pm, for school, work, or other functions, then you should raise the ambient temperature between 8am and 4:30pm. You don’t want to turn the air conditioning completely off during these times, though, especially if it’s hot. If you do, then it will take much longer to cool your home to a comfortable temperature by the time you arrive home, which can actually cost more than keeping your home at a slightly higher temperature when you’re away.
Set the thermostat to raise the desired temperature when you leave in the morning. Then set it to lower the temperature to what you find comfortable about 30 minutes before you arrive home.
At night, have the temperature turned up slightly when you go to bed and then dropped in the morning when you’re waking up. Some people find that raising the temperature at night and leaving it at that setting throughout the next day, until about half an hour before returning home is the best strategy.
On weekends, when most of your family will generally be home, you’ll want to program it differently.
Keep in mind that during the early morning hours, until about 10am, the temperature outside will remain relatively cool. This means that you shouldn’t need to have your air conditioning system running during the morning hours.
The hottest part of the day during the summer is between 1:30pm and 2:00pm. It then gradually cools off around 4pm and 5pm.
When you take the time to program your thermostat during the summer as well as in the winter, you’ll be able to have a comfortable home environment while saving money on your utility bills.