Should I invest in a programmable thermostat?

Women adjusting thermostat

One of the quickest and simplest ways to reduce energy costs is to use a programmable thermostat.  There are many varieties of thermostats available today with a host of features, but the one that provides the bulk of the energy savings is the programmable feature.  This allows you to dial back the heating and cooling automatically for times when you know you will not need it – while you are at work, away from home, etc.  There are more advanced models that can regulate the cooling based on other factors like humidity and changes in outdoor ambient temperatures which can improve comfort as well as energy savings without you having to lift a finger.  You might actually have a programmable thermostat now and not know it. Our research has shown that a surprising percentage of people actually own these programmable thermostats but don’t use the programmable feature.   So check your thermostat and if you decide to buy one of the programmable models be sure to use it and see the savings add up!

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36 thoughts on “Should I invest in a programmable thermostat?

  1. Hello,
    I have baseboard heat in each room at my “new” home. The house was built circa 1985 and while I have dial controls to turn the heat up and down, the temperature cannot be set.

    My question is: Can I replace these dial controls with thermostats without replacing the baseboard heating

    • Thank you for your inquiry Miss Moretti. I assume the temperature dials you reference are on the actual baseboard and you cannot locate replacements for them due to the age.

      Yes, you can replace the dial thermostats with a wall mounted thermostat but it will require having a qualified Electrical HVAC Technician do the work. This is not a DIY project. An option is for them to bypass the circuit on the baseboard and wire through the line voltage wall mounted thermostat.

      You can have installed a mechanical or a digital line voltage thermostat depending on your preference. If you require further assistance or clarification please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
      Technical Services, White-Rodgers

  2. Other than the price, I can’t tell the difference between models RTH2300B and RTH6350D. Can you help me with this? Why is the RTH6350 twice the price of the RTH2300B at Home Depot? Does the more expensive model simply show more info on the display?

    • Set the switch to “heat” and then set the temperature to a higher temp. This should override the program. There are other posts on this article with more details and links. If this does not work you might have something else needing repair with either the thermostat or the heating system itself so you might need to call someone to help evaluate it. If it is a problem with the system you might need to call a qualified HVAC contractor. Hope this helps.

  3. I have a Honeywell thermostat digital with hold and schedule and other setting and can’t operate it, Its cold in here. I’m a senior citizen and I can’t operate this thing. Please help????

  4. I had my old Honeywell non-programmable replaced this week. I don’t even know what brand it is, but I need a thermostat that I can read at a glance–the only way I can read most of the new one is to wear reading glasses, use a magnifying glass and a flashlight. I have a forced air system with heat/cool, and fan. I need a thermostat that I can read with just the 60-watt
    hall light. (It would help if the … Captcha appears after the comment instead of before it–I didn’t even see it until the message saying it has to be used before sending came up.)

  5. I have a Programmable Thermostat Honeywell CT3611 which is acting up. Can I still buy the CT3611? If so where? If not is there a replacement that I won’t have to rewire the thermostat panel?
    Thank you

    • Those manuals are usually available on the OEM’s site so you might try doing search on the model name and download or print out the document.

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