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. Just programming your thermostat for stretches when you’re sleeping or gone can make a large impact without having a negative affect on your comfort levels. Depending on the model of your thermostat, you can do a whole lot more to make an even bigger impact.

At Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling, we’ve got a selection of programmable thermostats to meet your needs—from the most simple models to the state-of-the-art learning thermostats. How can you know what will work best for you? First, learn the difference between basic programmable thermostats and advanced learning models. Either of these can help you save energy and money, but you’ll need to decide which features are most important to your home.

The majority of programmable thermostats will give you the chance to schedule your days to control temperatures when you’re usually there and not at home. Depending on the model you pick, you could 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 different one. You’ll also want to review the number of periods you can select each day. 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? Be sure the thermostat you select can adapt to your needs.

For some people, being able to establish a regular schedule (or two) and override it when needed is enough. But if you want additional flexibility, it’s probably time to look into a smart thermostat. A smart thermostat lets you completely customize a heating and cooling schedule for each individual day of the week.

Flexibility isn’t the only benefit that smart thermostats provide, but they’re also Wi-Fi enabled so you can manage your home’s temperature no matter where you are. 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 adapt your heating and cooling schedules based on your actual daily activity. Some models don’t even need to be programmed—you just turn them on and they will figure everything out on their own after a short amount of time.

So, no matter what your heating and cooling needs are, Kohles & Bach Heating & Cooling will help you find the best thermostat for your home and budget. You’ll end up with ultimate home comfort with potential energy savings. Contact us at 515-207-6569 to hear more, or arrange an appointment with us online.