How Learning Thermostats are Different from Programmable Thermostats

December 04, 2018

Your thermostat is a huge factor in how much you’re paying on your utility bills. Merely programming your thermostat for periods when you’re sleeping or gone can make a large impact without harming your comfort levels. Depending on the type of programmable thermostat you purchase, you might benefit from a lot of additional features.

At Bain Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc, we’ve got an array of programmable thermostats to meet your needs—from the most basic models to the newest learning thermostats. How will you know what you need in your home? First, learn the difference between basic programmable thermostats and advanced learning models. Each of these options can help you save energy and money, but you’ll need to select which features are most important to your home comfort.

Most 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 select, you may be able to input one schedule, which you may end up overriding on the days you are home. Some models will permit you to program your weekdays on one schedule and your weekends on a different one. 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? Be sure the thermostat you select can adapt to your needs.

For some people, being able to set a regular schedule (or two) and override it when needed is all they need. But if you want more flexibility, it’s probably time to consider a smart thermostat. A smart thermostat will let 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 selections 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 your household’s activity throughout the day. Some models don’t even need to be programmed—you just turn them on and they will figure everything out on their own over the span of a few days.

So, no matter what your heating and cooling wants are, Bain Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc will help you find the best thermostat for your home and budget. You’ll experience ultimate home comfort with potential energy savings. Contact us at 256-270-1196 to learn more, or book an appointment with us online.