When it comes to saving money on heating and cooling expenses, there are several things that every Toronto homeowner can do to improve the energy efficiency of their home. Improving the insulation, ensuring that their windows and doors are sealed, and having the furnace or air conditioning system cleaned and inspected every season are just a few ideas.
Another is to rely on a programmable thermostat.
For years, the average style of thermostat in Toronto homes was a simple analog wheel or dial that was set to the desired temperature. Whenever the room temperature dropped to just below that target number, the heating system would turn on (or air conditioning in the summer).
It was an all or nothing situation, though. If you set your thermostat 22C in the morning because that’s comfortable for you, then you’d have to wait for the house to warm up. When you head off to work, you might just leave it at that temperature setting because you don’t want to be cold when you get home.
All of those hours that no one is home is wasting energy heating the house. Using a programmable thermostat can change all that and allow you to be comfortable all the time.
You could program the thermostat to turn on the heating system ½ hour before you wake up. The house will be warm and you won’t have to shiver trying to make it down the hall to turn it up.
Have the thermostat programmed to reduce the temperature when you leave for work, then to increase again 15 to 30 minutes before you return home. You can even program it differently for weekends. Some systems now allow you to control your heating and cooling system from a smartphone or computer device.
If you want to learn more about programmable thermostats, contact McKinnon today. With the right programmable thermostat, you can save money all year long.