How Learning Thermostats are Different from Programmable Thermostats

December 04, 2018

Your thermostat is a huge factor in how much you are spending on energy costs. Simply programming your thermostat for times when you’re sleeping or gone can make a great impact without harming your comfort levels. Depending on which thermostat you select, you can do a whole lot more to make an even bigger impact.

At Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning, we’ve got several programmable thermostats to meet your needs—from the most simple models to the most modern learning thermostats. How will you know what you need in your home? First, research the difference between basic programmable thermostats and advanced learning models. Both can help you save energy and money, but you’ll need to decide which features are most important to you.

The majority of programmable thermostats will let you schedule your days to control temperatures when you’re routinely there and not at home. Depending on the model you pick, you might be able to input one schedule, which you may end up overriding on days you are actually home. Some models will let you program your weekdays on one schedule and your weekends on a separate schedule. You’ll also want to look at the number of periods during each day you can set up. For instance, will you want the temperature setting different when you sleep, when you wake up, when you’re at work and when you are home in the evening? Confirm that the thermostat you choose can meet your needs.

For some people, being able to arrange a regular schedule (or two) and override it when needed is enough. But if you want added flexibility, it’s probably time to consider a smart thermostat. A smart thermostat will let you completely customize a heating and cooling schedule for every day of the week.

Not only are smart thermostats more flexible, but they’re also Wi-Fi enabled so you can manage your home’s temperature from anywhere. Some types of smart thermostats take innovation even further—these are called “learning thermostats.” Learning thermostats do everything a regular smart thermostat can do, but they can also learn from your behaviors and adjust your heating and cooling schedules based on the actual activity in your home. Some models don’t even need to be programmed—you just turn them on and give them time to figure everything out on their own within several days.

So, no matter what your heating and cooling needs are, Strine's Heating & Air Conditioning will help you find the perfect thermostat for your home and budget. You’ll get to enjoy ultimate home comfort with potential energy savings. Give us a call at 717-383-4479 to hear more, or book an appointment with us online.