You wouldn’t know by the last couple weeks of Nova Scotia weather that we will reach the official start of spring later this month. Experiencing everything from cool sunny days to heavy snow and mixed precipitation with accompanying temperature swings that have taken us from +6⁰ to -15⁰ has left us sometimes frustrated and confused. Luckily, we have a reliable heating system that can handle these maritime winters to keep our homes cozy and warm.
Especially during these colder times, if you find yourself having to adjust the thermostat when you go to bed at night, get up in the morning or leave for work, it might be time to look at a programmable thermostat.
Programmable thermostats have been around for some time now and many homes are already equipped with them. They are extremely useful for saving costs on heating oil consumption by reducing home temperatures when you are sleeping or not at home, and automatically returning comfort levels to ideal ranges when you wake up and arrive home from work or school. They can even be set to follow a different schedule when you are on vacation for an extended period. Manual thermostats use mercury and coils to keep temperatures at where you set them, but as they age, they can accumulate dust and weaken as they become less precise. Programmable thermostats rely on a computer chip that is accurate to within .5 of a degree.
The latest versions of programmable thermostats can feature ‘Smart’ technology, which can be Wi-Fi-enabled to allow you to control home temperatures with your smartphone from remote locations. These devices can also include sensors that detect when you leave your home and when you come back and can even provide warnings when your furnace is not working properly, when it’s time for a tune-up or when to change your furnace filter.
Standard programmable thermostats can often be purchased for under $100 at local home improvement suppliers, hardware stores, or through your furnace fuel provider. ‘Smart’ thermostats can cost more.
Interested in finding out more about the benefits, cost advantages and installation of programmable thermostats? Please call us at 902-453-2121 or drop us a line at https://scotiafuels.com/contact-us/. One of our local, experienced agents will be happy to answer your questions.