Everyone wants to save money, and heating and cooling costs are an area many people look at to cut costs.  There are a number of ways to reduce energy costs, but using programmable thermostats are one of the most convenient tools that can help the homeowner save money without sacrificing comfort.

These devices work by allowing you to use the heater or air conditioner less during pre-determined times of day.  Most people will program them for reduced heating or air conditioner use when they are not home.

But how do you know which programmable thermostat is right for you?

>>Features to look for in a programmable thermostat

The type of thermostat that’s right for you depends on your schedule.  The basic version comes with four different temperature settings that are pre-set, and the thermostat will maintain the programmed temperature within two degrees.  How often you are away from home regularly will help you choose whether the 7-day, 5+2 day, or the 5-1-1 day model is right for you.

If your schedule changes frequently, the 7-day model is likely best for you.  This version offers the most flexibility to change the temperature settings from day to day.  Normally, each day allows for four different pre-set temperature periods.

The 5+2 model allows users to create pre-set temperatures for 5 days of the week.  The other 2 days are programmable with different temperatures periods for the two days on the weekend.

Programmable thermostats designed as 5-1-1 are best for those who have a set schedule during the week.  These programmable thermostats maintain the same daily temperature ranges Monday through Friday.  The weekend days are programmable for a different schedule each day.

Programmable thermostats that use these three types of program settings come with a number of additional different features, usually for an additional cost.  These features include digital backlit display, touchpad screen programming, voice and/or phone programming, hold/vacation features, indicators that let you know when it’s time to change air filter, indicators that signal malfunctioning, and control features to detect the amount of time it will take before the next set-point temperature is reached and ensure that desired temperatures are reached by the set time.