If you’re tired of paying air conditioning and heating costs when your Longview, Texas home is empty, a programmable thermostat may be just the solution for you. Unlike a mercury thermostat that has to be set manually and remains at the same temperature until you change it again, a programmable thermostat can be pre-set to adjust temperature at different times of the day.

For example, if everyone in your family is normally out of the house by 8:00 a.m. and don’t start getting home until the late afternoon, you can program your thermostat to reflect that. This eliminates wasteful air conditioning and heating use while no one is at home. Prior to the development of programmable thermostats, you had no choice but to set the temperature at a comfortable setting for the whole day if you wanted your house to be comfortable when you arrived home in the evening.

An air conditioning company in Longview, Texas can provide you with additional details about the types of programmable thermostats that are available. Energy Star, a company that produces a large amount of programmable thermostats, has models available to accommodate most schedules. There is the five plus two model for the typical Monday to Friday workweek as well as other variations for people with less traditional work schedules. Energy Star estimates that the average homeowner in Longview can save up to $200 a year by using a programmable thermostat.

If you choose to have your new unit installed by a local air conditioning company, ask the technician to show you how it operates before he or she leaves your home. You need to know how to interpret the various signals the programmable thermostat gives, such as to indicate the battery is low. You may also want to inquire about setting up a vacation schedule setting.