If you own an older home, you probably have an analog thermostat. While it may not be high on your home upgrade to-do list, installing a digital thermostat will save you money on your energy bill.
Your thermostat controls the temperature and humidity in your home when you adjust the temperature settings. The thermostat sends signals to your HVAC system and monitors the current temperature in your home and turns the heat or air conditioning off or on until it reaches the temperature you set.
The thermostat has been around for centuries, and it is an important part of your daily household function.
ANALOG THERMOSTATS – THE OUTDATED CHOICE
Analog thermostats are not programmable. They rely on two internal pins to manage the temperature in your home. While it’s less expensive than its more updated counterparts, that’s the only positive thing it has going for itself. They tend to be inaccurate in the exact temperature, which can end up costing you more on your energy bill. Analog thermostats don’t communicate with smartphones so you can’t control it from anywhere but your home. They also don’t learn temperature patterns and can’t be programmed, which means you can easily leave the house and forget to adjust the temperature when no one is home!
DIGITAL & SMART THERMOSTATS – THE SMART CHOICE
The main draw to a digital or smart thermostat is that they are programmable, which can save a lot of money. While it is expensive upfront to purchase, it will save you money in the long run on your monthly heating and cooling bill.
Digital thermostats can be programmed, making them a huge win in our book. Some allow you to program temperatures daily, while others require you to set a separate schedule during the workweek vs. the weekend. Either way, setting your thermostat a certain temperature for the hours while you are at work and a more comfortable temperature the evenings and weekends, when you are at home, will save you money on your electric bill.
Smart thermostats have all the features of a digital thermostat, plus most of them can be controlled remotely. If you are on vacation and forgot to adjust your thermostat, you can connect via an app on your smartphone and change the temperature with a few clicks!