Resetting the programmable thermostat is a seasonal “to-do” task. Those summer settings, meant for cooling long daylight hours, don’t apply to the realities of the winter heating season. You’ll need to set new on/off times for the furnace plus make allowances for changing living patterns in the house, such as occupants turning in for bed earlier and different temperature preferences to stay comfortable.

Utilized correctly, a programmable thermostat can save up to 20 percent on heating/cooling costs compared to an old-school manual model. The consistency of indoor temperature and the energy-efficiency and convenience of letting automation take care of daily adjustments are additional paybacks. Here are some guidelines for resetting the programmable thermostat for winter.

Waking Hours Temperature

The range of 68 to 70 degrees has been shown to be most comfortable for wake-up time on a winter’s morning and as long as the house is occupied.

Sleeping Hours Temperature

Set the sleeping temperature to begin about an hour before actual usual bedtime. For the overnight hours, program a temperature in the range of 60 to 62 degrees.

Empty House Settings

A half-hour before the usual time the last person leaves the house for the day, set a programmed temperature about 15 degrees below the normal temperature when the house is occupied.

Return Home Settings

30 minutes before occupants usually begin arriving home again, program the thermostat to return to normal occupied temperature.

Weekend Settings

Assuming your normal routine varies on Saturday and Sunday, take advantage of the separate Weekend setting option provided by most programmable thermostats. Set different times and temperatures appropriate to weekend hours of activity and occupancy.

Vacation Option

If you’ll be leaving town during the winter, utilize the Vacation option on the thermostat’s menu. You can program a lower temperature to maintain 24/7 while you’re gone. This will save on unnecessary heating costs yet still keep the house safely warm to avoid issues like frozen pipes in event of a severe cold spell.

Need advice of assistance resetting the programmable thermostat for winter? Contract the pros at Powers Heating & Air.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040.

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