Air Conditioner Repair Company Publishes Blog Post On Programmable Thermostats

Houston, TX based air conditioner repair expert Air Check Mechanical Service has published a new blog post about the advantages and benefits of a programmable thermostat. The company references three types of thermostats that are popular in US households, and discusses the importance of them.

While the Non-Programmable Thermostat is easily the oldest form of thermostat, it also remains a popular one. In fact, many people who do have the ability to program their thermostat to heat and cool at certain times don't use those features, which can make for higher energy costs. However, in a hot summer climate like Houston's, having a programmable thermostat can be very convenient, and can ensure consistent ideal temperatures throughout the season.

"A great feature of any high quality programmable thermostat is that you can really dial in your energy costs and ensure you aren't running your air conditioner when it isn't necessary," said Donald Compton, owner and spokesperson for Air Check Mechanical Service. "So, if a customer knows that the house is going to be empty at certain times, it may be advantageous to set the air conditioner to rest for part of that period."

As with everything these days, "connected" thermostats have begun to gain popularity mainly because of their powerful remote settings. So if a person is looking to be very precise about their energy usage, the AC can be turned off from afar in cases where schedules change or if weather is getting cooler.

Thermostats tend to last at least 10 years or more, and are rarely the cause of air conditioner failure. But, an older thermostat can have a variety of issues that can imperil the HVAC system in general, such as short cycling, which is when the HVAC system shuts off earlier than necessary without completing a full cooling or heating cycle.

Additional issues can come with thermostats that have backlit displays. While in a lot of cases these displays can be restarted with a simple battery change, in some cases the lack of responsiveness may mean the thermostat is defective or worn out.

"Many of the symptoms of thermostat failure are pretty easy to spot and are mostly based on common sense," said Compton. "But often an older thermostat can also signal that the house has older HVAC system components, many of which may need to be replaced in order to guarantee the best comfort levels."

By far the most interesting and somewhat fun types of thermostats are "Smart" or "Learning" thermostats. These units learn the habits of the home or businessowner and begins to adjust temperatures according to their routines and habits. A variety of additional settings can often be monitored by the customer, and some even feature voice enabled commands. Whether the goal is complete comfort or lowest energy costs, Smart Thermostats can solve the problem while providing real peace of mind.

When it comes to energy savings, experts suggest that at a minimum, a programmable thermostat can save home and business owners 15% on their overall energy costs throughout the year when compared with a manual thermostat. What's more, having a thermostat that runs the air conditioning or furnace only when it is required is critical in lengthening the lifespan of important components that can cost quite a lot to repair.

"In the end, a thermostat is an investment in a house or business' HVAC system in general," said Compton. "While the most affordable thermostat may seem like an excellent choice, a more expensive smart thermostat may save a homeowner a lot more money in the long run."

If you suspect your thermostat may be reporting incorrect readings or is not running effectively, be sure to contact the air conditioning service experts at Air Check Mechanical Service.