Every degree matters when it comes to comfort—and your home energy bill. That’s why more Irvine, CA, homeowners use smart thermostats to take control of their home comfort. These devices offer more than convenience—they use intelligent temperature scheduling and connectivity to align your home’s climate with your daily routines.
With these smart thermostat programming tips from the experts at Silver Fox Cooling & Heating, you can keep your space cozy while reducing unnecessary energy use. Whether you're looking to save on utility bills or enjoy a more responsive home, smart home climate control is the way to go. In this blog, we’ll walk you through essential smart thermostat strategies. With this smart thermostat programming guide, you can make your HVAC system work smarter—not harder.
1. Set Schedules Around Your Daily Routine
Use your smart thermostat settings to control temperatures based on your daily routine—cooler while you’re away, warmer when you are at home and to your favorite temperature for sleeping. By automatically shifting temperature when no one’s home, these schedules reduce unnecessary heating or cooling. Some smart thermostats have the capacity to learn your routine and automatically adjust the temperature based on your habits.
Using smart thermostat settings to change the temperature based on your daily activities allow you to enjoy comfort on your terms without wasting energy—while saving money. Plus, it’s convenient: you don’t have to remember to adjust settings manually.
2. Adjust Temperatures Seasonally
One of the energy-saving thermostat tips from the team at Silver Fox Cooling & Heating is to use your smart thermostat to change the temperature in your home based on the time of year. For example, in winter, experts say one of the best thermostat settings for home energy efficiency is 68 degrees during the day and slightly colder at night. This strategy can cut heating bills by up to 10% annually. That's different than the ideal cost-saving temperature for summer, which is about 78 degrees. By using your smart thermostat to adjust temperatures based on the seasons, you waste less energy and still stay comfortable.
3. Use Away or Eco Modes When You're Out
Setting smart or programmable thermostat schedules also allow you to use special modes—Away and Eco, for example—while you aren't home. Away Mode lowers the temperature while you are out. Eco Mode also lowers the temperature and works well for when you're gone for several days. These two modes allow you to conserve energy when you're not home to enjoy the heating or cooling, but also keep your system running to avoid dangerously high or low temperatures.
4. Take Advantage of Zoning Features
Some homes have unusually hot or cold rooms. A typical example would be a second floor always being warmer than the ground level. Installing an HVAC zoning system breaks the home into sections—allowing you to independently control the temperature for different areas or levels of your home. Smart thermostats allow you to set and adjust the temperature in different zones, so you always enjoy the perfect temperature.
5. Monitor and Fine-Tune for Maximum Savings
One of the perks of smart thermostats is their ability to work in conjunction with connected HVAC systems. In addition to controlling your HVAC system, the WiFi or Bluetooth connection allows your smart thermostat to receive real-time information from your HVAC system. This means a smart thermostat can tell you how well your system is working, if you need AC or furnace repair and can automatically notify your local HVAC company when it's time for HVAC maintenance or repair.
This allows you to get prompt furnace or air conditioning repair as soon as your system needs it. Without this capability, a failing heating and cooling system could sustain more damage and lose efficiency without you realizing until the damage is done and your energy bills spike.
Need Help Programming Your Thermostat? Silver Fox Cooling & Heating Can Help
Smart thermostats have many benefits for your comfort and budget. At COMPANY, we love helping homeowners like you unlock the most out of smart thermostats and other smart HVAC technology. If you're interested, we can pair a smart thermostat with furnace or air conditioning installation—helping you get the most out of your HVAC system. Or, we can show you how a smart thermostat and zoned HVAC system can make your upcoming AC or furnace installation that much more energy efficient. We're also happy to give you thermostat efficiency advice and show you what these innovative tools are capable of.
Learning more about smart thermostats starts with a phone call. Schedule your appointment with Silver Fox Cooling & Heating by calling 949-377-0183 today.