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With winter almost upon us, many homeowners are searching for ways to lower their heating bills. And while energy prices aren’t going to be as high as many had feared, the average household is still projected to face heating bills that are slightly higher than last year, and about 12% higher than they paid two winters ago, according to the Energy Information Administration.
One way to lower your bills this winter without sacrificing comfort is to invest in a programmable thermostat. The idea behind a programmable thermostat is simple: why heat your house when there’s nobody around to enjoy it? Programmable thermostats allow you to lower the thermostat for those times when you are not in need of it - during the day when you are at work, or even at night while you're sleeping - without having to remember to manually reset it each time. You can even set the thermostat to kick back on right before you return from work or wake up, so that you can come home or wake up to a warm house.
While the initial cost of a programmable thermostat is not insignificant (they can cost up to $100), these handy devices can save the average American household up to $170 or more this winter, not to mention the additional savings in the summer. And with an average lifespan of fifteen years, net savings could easily exceed $3000, if used correctly. Even greater savings can be realized by consumers who lower their thermostat by just a few degrees when they are at home, even if it does mean wearing a sweater around the house. In fact, for the average household, lowering the thermostat by just one degree can reduce annual heating costs by up to 5% - from between $35-$70 this winter, depending on the heating fuel used.
Of course, using programmable thermostats correctly has proven to be easier said than done. Programmable thermostats do not save any energy (or money) just by being installed – they need to be properly programmed first. And properly programming the thermostats can be something of a challenge. Still, even if it means spending a few minutes reading the manual, for $3,000, isn’t it worth it?
If you’re interested in calculating how much a programmable thermostat can save you this winter, check out Energy Star’s programmable thermostat consumer calculator at http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=thermostats.pr_thermostats.
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