Choosing Between a Programmable and a Smart Thermostat

Heating and cooling accounts for about 50 percent of the energy you use in your Fairfax, Virginia, home. With such a huge portion of your monthly energy budget dedicated to HVAC, it’s important to have a state-of-the-art thermostat. While manual thermostats are outdated, a programmable or a smart thermostat offers benefits that take home comfort to another level.

Programmable Thermostats

Programmable thermostats are the predecessors to the modern-day smart thermostat. While they’re not as “smart,” they still offer plenty of benefits to warrant a purchase.

The obvious benefit of a programmable thermostat is that you can schedule it to operate around your professional and social life. For example, if you work from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., you can set the thermostat to lower or raise your home’s temperature based on the conditions outside.

• 5-1-1 models: Set a schedule for Monday through Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• 5+2 models: Set a schedule for Monday through Friday as well as Saturday and Sunday.
• 7-day models: Set a schedule for every day of the week.

Smart Thermostats

Although it costs a little more than a programmable thermostat, you’ll know just where that money went when you use a smart thermostat. This thermostat performs the same tasks as a programmable unit, but it learns your behaviors over time.

Another perk of smart thermostats is that they often have Wi-Fi capabilities. If you leave for vacation and forget to turn the thermostat down, simply connect via the app and shut it down from abroad. It provides peace of mind that you just don’t get with a programmable thermostat.

Regardless of which thermostat works for you, it’s important to contact an experienced service technician when upgrading. Once you’ve decided on a thermostat that’s right for your home, call Brennan’s Heating and Air Conditioning at 703-783-0145 for expert installation.

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