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Understanding Your Thermostat and How It Works

A thermostat is a device that controls your heating and cooling system by measuring the temperature in your home and turning your HVAC equipment on or off to maintain your desired temperature. Think of it as the brain of your home comfort system. When you set your thermostat to 72 degrees, the device continuously checks the actual temperature in your home. If it drops below 72, the heating system turns on. If it rises above 72, the air conditioning kicks in. Understanding this basic function helps you make better decisions about your settings throughout the day and seasons.

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There are three main types of thermostats available today. Manual thermostats require you to physically adjust the temperature by turning a dial or pressing buttons. Programmable thermostats allow you to set different temperatures for different times of day and days of the week—for example, you can program it to be cooler when you're away and warmer when you're home. Smart thermostats connect to your home's Wi-Fi network and can learn your habits, be controlled from your phone, and sometimes integrate with other smart home devices. Each type has different features and price points, but all serve the same basic function of temperature control.

The way your thermostat measures temperature matters for accuracy. Most thermostats use a sensor inside the unit itself to detect room temperature. However, the location of your thermostat significantly affects how well it works. A thermostat placed in direct sunlight may read higher than the actual temperature in the rest of your home. One placed next to a heat source like a lamp or oven will also give inaccurate readings. Similarly, a thermostat in a drafty hallway or near an exterior door may read lower than it should. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, proper thermostat placement can affect your heating and cooling costs by up to 3 percent.

Practical takeaway: Locate your thermostat away from direct sunlight, heat sources, and drafts. If your thermostat is in a poor location, consider whether you can move it or if a smart thermostat with remote sensors might better suit your needs. Understanding whether you have a manual, programmable, or smart thermostat will help you use the settings guide that matches your device type.

Temperature Settings for Different Seasons

The ideal temperature settings vary by season and your personal comfort preferences. During winter months when you're heating your home, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you're home and awake. For times when you're sleeping or away from home, lowering the temperature to 62-66 degrees can reduce energy use while maintaining comfort. Some households find they can go lower at night if they use extra blankets. During summer cooling season, the department suggests setting your thermostat to 78 degrees when you're home during the day and raising it to 82-85 degrees when you're away or sleeping.

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These recommendations may seem warm or cool depending on your household. Factors that affect your comfort level include your age, health, activity level, and what clothing you're wearing. Older adults may prefer slightly warmer temperatures, while younger people often feel comfortable at cooler settings. Someone with arthritis or certain health conditions may need different temperatures than someone without these concerns. Your guide should provide information about how to find your personal comfort range while balancing energy costs.

Seasonal transitions require thermostat adjustments. In spring, when days warm up but nights remain cool, you may need to switch from heating to cooling mode or use the "auto" setting where available. This allows your system to heat in the morning and cool in the afternoon as temperatures fluctuate. In fall, the opposite occurs—you'll transition from cooling to heating. Many people forget to make these seasonal switches, which can waste energy if your system is trying to both heat and cool unnecessarily. Some smart thermostats make this transition automatically, while others require manual adjustment.

Practical takeaway: Create a seasonal schedule for your thermostat adjustments. Write down the dates you typically switch from heating to cooling and from cooling to heating in your area. Set reminders on your phone a week before these dates so you remember to adjust your thermostat. If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, input different seasonal schedules now rather than waiting until the season arrives.

Programming and Scheduling Your Thermostat

Programming your thermostat allows you to set different temperatures for different times without manual adjustment each day. Most programmable thermostats let you set four different times per day: one for morning, one for daytime, one for evening, and one for overnight. For example, you might program your thermostat to warm up to 70 degrees at 6 a.m. when you wake, maintain 68 degrees during the day, heat to 70 degrees again at 5 p.m. when you return home, and lower to 64 degrees at 10 p.m. when you go to bed.

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The programming process differs by thermostat model, but most follow similar steps. You'll access a menu using buttons on the thermostat or through an app if it's a smart model. You select the day or days you want to program, then input the time and desired temperature for each setting. Many thermostats allow you to create different schedules for weekdays versus weekends, since most people have different routines on these days. Your guide should include specific instructions for your thermostat model, usually found in the manufacturer's manual or online support pages.

Research from the Environmental Protection Agency indicates that people who use programmable thermostats save approximately 10 percent annually on heating and cooling costs. However, this savings only occurs if the thermostat is actually programmed and not constantly overridden by manual adjustments. A common mistake people make is programming their thermostat once and never updating it for changing schedules. If you change jobs, retire, or adjust your daily routine, you should update your thermostat programming to match your new schedule. Life changes like children starting school or elderly parents moving in may require different temperature settings at different times.

Practical takeaway: Map out a typical week of your household schedule, noting when people are home, away, sleeping, and active. Use this information to create a thermostat program with no more than four temperature changes per day. Set a reminder to review and update this program every three months or whenever your routine changes significantly. Avoid frequently overriding your program, as this reduces the energy savings it provides.

Humidity Control and Comfort Settings

Temperature is only part of the comfort equation—humidity levels also significantly affect how comfortable your home feels. Humidity is the amount of moisture in the air. Low humidity can cause dry skin, respiratory irritation, and static electricity. High humidity can make you feel sticky and promote mold growth and dust mites. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends maintaining indoor humidity between 30 and 60 percent for optimal comfort and health. Your guide should explain how to measure humidity and what settings help maintain appropriate levels.

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Most standard thermostats don't control humidity directly—that's a function of your HVAC system. However, understanding the connection between thermostat settings and humidity is valuable. When your air conditioning runs, it naturally removes moisture from the air, which is why air conditioning helps with humidity in summer. In winter, heating dries out the air, so many people use humidifiers to add moisture back. Some advanced thermostats have humidity sensors and can provide readings of your current humidity level. If your thermostat shows humidity readings, you can adjust your thermostat settings or run a humidifier or dehumidifier accordingly.

Different seasons require different humidity management. In winter, many people find that heating systems dry out the air excessively. Adding a humidifier can help, and keeping your thermostat slightly lower can also reduce the drying effect. In summer, air conditioning should handle humidity removal, but if your area is extremely humid, you may need to lower your thermostat temperature slightly to encourage the air conditioner to run more, which removes more moisture. In spring and fall with variable conditions, you may need to monitor humidity more carefully and adjust settings as needed.

Practical takeaway: Purchase an inexpensive humidity meter to measure the moisture level in your home. Take readings in different rooms and at different times of day. If humidity is consistently below 30 percent or above 60 percent, note what thermostat settings or conditions coincide with these readings. Use this information to adjust your thermostat settings or make decisions about using a humidifier or dehumidifier.

Energy Savings Through Smart Thermostat Use