By Barry Lauber

As we head into the summer months, keeping your home comfortable and your energy bill low are seemingly at odds with each other. But it doesn’t haven’t to be that way! You can better manage your energy use and the comfort of your home by selecting and using the right thermostat. 

There are three main types of thermostats — manual, programmable and smart. 

The most common thermostat used is a programmable unit. It will let you control when air is conditioned in your home through assigned temperature change schedules. 

To determine how to set a programmable thermostat properly, begin by reviewing the schedules of everyone in your household. If nobody is home for more than four hours at a time, this is where you can make a small increase in temperature of a few degrees. It is important to know that small temperature adjustments of one or two degrees help reduce energy use.

Many smart thermostats available today take the process of setting schedules out of the equation as they learn when you come and go to adjust the temperature — helping you reduce energy used to cool your home. An added benefit of these units are that they can be controlled from an app on your phone – at home or when you are away.

Selecting the right thermostat for your family and setting it up properly can help reduce your energy use as you keep your home comfortable this summer. 

BARRY LAUBER is director of marketing, key accounts and business development at Southeastern Indiana REMC in Osgood, Indiana.