Updated August 15, 2023
Programmable thermostats were invented to make it easier and more energy-efficient to heat and cool a home. However, they can, unfortunately, be difficult to use. It helps to understand what the different thermostat settings do if you’re going to get the most out of one.
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Heat and Cool Setting
These are the two main modes on a programmable thermostat. When you switch between these two modes depends on the climate you live in. No matter where you live, set it to heat in the winter and cool in the summer. Whether you set it to heat or cool in the spring and fall depends on how hot or cold it gets in your area.
Apollo Heating & Air Conditioning in Bellevue, NE, can help you with any thermostat issues you may be having. We install and repair programmable and smart thermostats.
Fan Setting
Programmable thermostats have fan settings that include on and auto. Some also have a setting for circulating. When you set it to “on,” the fan runs constantly. When you choose “auto,” the fan only runs when your air conditioner or furnace is running. The “circulate” (or Circ) setting will usually make the fan run about 35% of the time. The fan will operate when the fan is on and about 20 minutes of every hour otherwise. You should usually only use the “Circ” setting during the spring or fall.
Schedule
You can set a schedule for heating and cooling on your programmable thermostat. These allow varying degrees of how much you can fine-tune your thermostat, with 7-day programming being the most flexible.
The main types of programs for programmable thermostats are:
- 7-day programming
- 5-2 programming
- 5-1-1 programming
- 1-week programming
