What features should one look for in a programmable thermostat? I wager I want to be able to program the daytime, nighttime and away temps AND have a manual override feature to bump the set temp up or down for a short spell. Are these the basic features?
As for a weekend program, I could probably live without this (if there is such an option) if this saves on cost. And, my house is not so big that I need to define zones.
Any advice from the SD masses?
Seasons Greetings,
I would go with a 7 day programable stat. Most come with 4 settings a day. Best with copy features. Most will have a over ride. You also want a hold feature. Depending on your furnace, a manual switch to go from AC to off to cool. Also a fan on or auto switch.
Are there any that can be programmed for vacation? Hold the temperature at 12 deg C for the next 20 days and then raise it to 18 on the 21st.
Mine is fairly basic but does the trick.
M-F it has four settings: Wake temp, leave the house temp, get home temp, go to sleep temp (each time is adjustable).
Sat-Sun it has two settings: Wake temp, sleep temp.
It also has a manual override to notch the temp up or down a few degrees and that temp setting will stay until one of the setting temp times changes it.
It also has a hold feature that will maintain the temp you set until you manually change it.
One feature I wish mine DID have is the ability to automatically HEAT and COOL when necessary. So if the temp fell below 65 the furnace would kick on but if it went over 73 the A/C would turn on. As it is now I can only choose HEAT or COOL.
Don’t skimp! I did. At my old house I installed one with the workweek/ weekend settings. I thought there was no good reason to get the one with multiple season settings. Wrong.
When the weather is changing, it can be a pain to reprogram your thermostat for either winter mode or summer mode depending on which way your weather is heading.
My advice if you have a central system that combines a heating unit and an AC unit, get a thermostat that has the work week/ weekend setting and at least allows for 2 seasons. I don’t know whether this advice applies if you have a heatpump.
Don’t skimp on a programmable thermostat. Not only will it just create hassle, it can be argued that in some cases it might cost you potential savings that would pay for the features.
I recommend the 7-day Honeywell ones, like I posted about a while ago when I did that thread on programmable thermostats. You’ll have to search for it; I just did a search and I cannot wait 5 minutes here to do the next one.
Mine has weekday and weekend settings, but they’re not useful for the way I live. For example, Mon - Thursday is fine, I pretty much have a routine, so these days can all use the same settings. Friday, however, I want it to keep heating longer into the night because I’m up later, but since it’s a “weekday,” it sticks with the M-Th settings. Likewise, Sunday night, because it’s a weekend, it heats until like 1:00 AM (the time I normally go to bed on Friday and Saturday nights) instead of until 10:00 PM, which I’d rather have, because it’s a “schoolnight” and I have to get up for work Monday morning. It’s obnoxious.
Multi-day thermostats might be more annoying to set up, especially if there’s no copy feature, but would handle these weekend/weekday variances with ease. So I’d either look for individual day settings (with a copy feature!) or examine it closely to see if you can determine what’s a weekend v. what’s a weekday.
ETA: Sounds like Hampshire and I have the same one - mine has those exact settings.
Mine has a holiday feature. I program the holiday temperature settings. Then when I go away all I have to do it hit the holiday button and it will run the holiday program. When I get home I hit the run button.
Ah but I want one that will reheat the house the day before I get back.