Like most personal electronics, your thermostat sometimes needs a reset. If you find yourself having some issues with your home heating or cooling system, especially after a power failure (or after someone has fiddled with the settings), a re-boot should be among the first things you try to get things back to normal.

Consult your manufacturer’s materials first for instructions on re-setting your thermostat make and model. if you can’t find directions, try one of these three methods.

• Flip the batteries – Install the batteries backwards. Wait 5 seconds, then reinstall batteries properly to reset.
• Use a paper clip – If your thermostat has a recessed reset button, press it in with a paper clip, holding it in for 5 seconds before release.
• Re-set your circuit breaker – If neither of the above methods work, turn your thermostat to the ‘off’ position. Then go to your home’s circuit breaker box. Locate the breaker for your HVAC system, then flip it to the ‘off’ position. Wait 30 seconds, then flip the breaker back to the ‘on’ position. Return to your thermostat, setting the mode to heat/cool and adjusting temperature settings, observing what happens with air coming from the vent. If this does not address the issue, contact us for service.

Re-Programming Considerations

Once you’ve re-set the thermostat, you’ll want to change the factory settings to ones that work with your family in your home. The settings you can control on virtually all types of programmable thermostats are:

• Wake time
• Sleep time
• Leave time
• Return time

One feature that distinguishes one programmable thermostat from another is programming flexibility: some models allow a more sophisticated combination of settings, others a more limited one.

Typical models, ranked in order here from most to least flexible, offer:

• 7-day programming, which lets you program a different heating/cooling schedule for each day of the week;
• 5-1-1 programming, which allows one heating/cooling schedule for the week, plus separate ones for Saturday and Sunday;
• 5-2 programming, which lets you program on heating/cooling schedule for the week and one for the weekend; and
• 1-week programming, Daily program

See what kind of model you have and proceed accordingly.

Optimal Thermostat Settings By Season

The U.S Department of Energy suggests the following settings for an optimum balance of comfort and savings:

Summer months:

• When you’re home and awake, program air conditioning to 78°F.
• Program the AC to shut off during the hours you’re out of the house.

Winter months:

• When you’re home and awake, set the thermostat for 68°F.
• Lower temperatures by 10° for the hours you’re asleep or out of the house.

In general,

• Program heat or A/C to shut off 20-30 minutes before you leave home each day; return them to normal comfort levels 20 to 30 minutes before you come home.
• Program reductions in heating or cooling to begin 60 minutes before you go to sleep; return them to normal comfort levels 30 minutes before you awaken.

Wi-Fi Thermostats

One type of programmable that has become increasingly popular in recent years is a Wi-Fi, or smart thermostat.

With a Wi-Fi thermostat, you have the same ability to change temperatures at certain times a day, but you can also control your HVAC equipment from a distance via your smart phone. This makes this Wi-Fi thermostats an ideal solution for a second home, or for a busy family that spends a lot of time on the road.

Save 10 percent on your annual energy bill without sacrificing comfort by installing a programmable thermostat and using it correctly. Contact Burt’s Reliable today to learn more about Wi-Fi thermostat installations in the North Fork and East End of Long Island!