August 2012
Heating and cooling is the largest portion of your energy bill. If you
want to cut costs and save energy, start with better thermostat management.
You can save 3 to 5 for every degree you adjust the
thermostat.
Keeping an empty house comfortable is impractical and expensive.
For maximum efficiency, a programmable thermostat automatically
raises and lowers the temperature according to your settings for when
you are away.
Always follow the manufacturer guidelines and remember to revise your thermostat settings when the season changes.
Look for these features when shopping for a programmable thermostat:
- Optional weekend settings
- Remote access (Wi-Fi)
- Touch screen
- Energy saving setting
- Vacation setting
- Change filter indicator
- Mercury free technology
Nest Learning Thermostat
The Nest Learning Thermostat learns about you and your home to
automatically turn itself down when you're away, guide you to
energy-efficient temperatures when you're home, and free you from
programming hassles by creating a customized temperature schedule.
Nest can make a noticeable difference by helping you reduce your
energy consumption. Just answer a few setup questions, make a
week's worth of temperature adjustments and Nest takes it from there.
Auto-Schedule
Nest learns your personal schedule and temperature
preferences, and Nest continues to refine its schedule over time.
Auto-Away
When Nest's built-in sensors detect that no one is home,
Auto-Away automatically adjusts the temperature.
Airwave
Your air conditioner continues to cool the air around it for 5 to 10
minutes after it's off. When humidity in your home is low and the weather's hot, Airwave automatically turns the air conditioner off a few minutes early, then uses the
fan to spread that cold air through your
home. This Nest exclusive can save
up to 30 percent on your cooling costs.
Energy History See whether your
energy use has increased or
decreased compared to the
previous week.
The Nest Leaf Nest
The Nest Leaf tracks the
temperatures you typically set and
guides you to more energy- efficient
ones, displaying the Leaf as a
reward when you choose a more
energy-efficient temperature.
Wi-Fi
Connect Nest to your home's
Wi-Fi to control it from your laptop, smartphone or tablet. Change the
temperature, adjust your schedule and check your energy history remotely.
Simple
Rotate the outer ring to adjust the temperature. The display turns
blue when cooling and orange when heating. Push down to open the menu.
Nest retails for $249. For more information, visit
nest.com.
Read other articles from The Walton EMC Gasette:
10th Annual Walton EMC Charity Ride
Gas Up the Stove with a Yummy Eclair Dessert