Every degree counts when it comes to staying comfortable—and your home energy bill. That’s why more Plainfield, IL, homeowners are turning to smart thermostats to take control of their home comfort. These devices offer more than just convenience—they use adaptive temperature scheduling and connectivity to match your daily activities.

By using these smart thermostat programming tips from the heating and cooling specialists at Joel's Heating and Cooling, you can keep your space cozy while reducing unnecessary energy use. Whether you're hoping to save on utility bills or enjoy a more efficient home, smart home climate control is the way to go. In this blog, we’ll break down easy smart thermostat strategies. With this smart thermostat programming guide, you can make your HVAC system work smarter—not harder.

1. Set Schedules Around Your Daily Routine

Program your smart thermostat settings to control temperatures according to your normal routine—cooler when you're away, warmer when you're home and perfectly set for sleeping. By automatically changing adjusting the temperature when no one’s home, these schedules cut down on unneeded heating or cooling. Some smart thermostats can adapt to your lifestyle and adjust the temperature automatically.

Utilizing smart thermostat settings to change temperatures based on your daily activities provides comfort on your terms without wasting power—all while saving money. Plus, it’s convenient: you don’t have to remember to adjust settings.

2. Adjust Temperatures Seasonally

One of the energy-saving thermostat tips from the team at Joel's Heating and Cooling is to use your smart thermostat to adjust your home’s temperature based on the time of year. For instance, during winter, experts say the recommended thermostat setting for home energy efficiency is 68 degrees in the day and a bit colder at night. This approach can lower heating bills by as much as 10% each year. That’s different from the ideal cost-saving temperature when it's hot outside, which is around 78 degrees. By adjusting your thermostat based on the seasons, you use less energy and still remain cozy.

3. Use Away or Eco Modes When You're Gone

Smart or programmable thermostat schedules also gives you access to special modes—such as Away and Eco—when you're not home. Away Mode decreases the temperature while you're out. Eco Mode also adjusts the temperature and is well-suited to longer absences, like vacations. These two settings let you save on power when you’re not home to experience the heating or cooling, but still maintain a minimum temperature to prevent dangerously high or low temperatures.

4. Personalize Your Home HVAC With Smart Thermostat Zoning Features

Some homes have unusually hot or cold rooms. A common example is a a second floor that’s consistently warmer than the first floor. Installing an HVAC zoning system separates your home into multiple areas, allowing you to adjust temperatures in different parts or levels of your home. Smart thermostats allow you to set and adjust temperatures by zone, so you can always maintain your favorite temperature.

5. Use Real-Time HVAC Data for Maximum Savings

One of the perks of smart thermostats is they have the capability to integrate with connected HVAC systems. More than just controlling your HVAC system, the WiFi or Bluetooth connection gives you access to real-time data from the system itself. This means a home smart thermostat can monitor performance, inform you about AC or furnace repair and can even send a notification to your local HVAC company when it's time for HVAC maintenance or repair.

This helps get prompt furnace or air conditioning repair as soon as your system starts to malfunction. Without this capability, a failing heating and cooling system could become less efficient and lose performance before you even notice—until the damage is done and your energy bills increase sharply.

Having Problems Figuring Out Your Thermostat? Joel's Heating and Cooling Is Here For You

Smart thermostats have many advantages for your comfort and home energy efficiency. At Joel's Heating and Cooling, we love assisting homeowners like you get the best results out of smart thermostats and other smart HVAC technology. If want to really increase your comfort, we can include a smart thermostat with furnace or air conditioning installation—helping you enjoy the most possible comfort from your HVAC system. Or, we can show you how a smart thermostat and zoned HVAC system can make your upcoming AC or furnace installation that much more energy efficient. We're also happy to give you thermostat efficiency advice and show you what these innovative tools are capable of.

Enjoying more convenient living with smart thermostats begins with a phone call. Set up your appointment with Joel's Heating and Cooling by calling 815-556-1046 today.