Usually the warmer climates have oversized furnaces since they need the air handling capacity for cooling on the summer. Yours seems a bit oversized but not if you have a leaky house.
Programmable Thermostats
- Thread starter JWC86
- Start date
The system is either running or it's not...there is no running the system harder.
It’s definitely leaky… still have the original single pane(!!!!) windows that also have a “storm” pane, so a little better but not much.
Mine is a American Standard Heat and Air Conditioner automatic thermostat. It has its own outdoor temperature sensor. It has a set point to decide when to run the heat pump and when to switch to the propane boiler with the heat exchanger in the furnace and does that automatically back and forth. It's programmable and will follow the commands to drop the house temperature in the evening and the temperature to be at in the morning. It will decide at what time it will give the command to start warming the house to meet that temperature. Sometimes it under estimates it if there is sudden drop in outside temperature that was different from the day before. It appears to be self learning.
One thing it can't do is switch from heat to AC automatically. That is the condition in the early fall in this mountainous Rocky Mountain valley in September where its cold in the morning but hot in the late afternoon.
One thing it can't do is switch from heat to AC automatically. That is the condition in the early fall in this mountainous Rocky Mountain valley in September where its cold in the morning but hot in the late afternoon.
Here is the thing though there is a lot of houses with improperly sized systems or duct work. Or borderline sized correct to begin with. Factor that with the fact most older houses are severely lacking good insulation. They decide they want a programmable thermostat so they can set the temperature back when they are away during the day. Now when they want the temperature back up or back down using the ac the system runs half the day trying to catch back up. Or it doesn't manage to catch back up before the next set back programmed in the stat and just run continuously.
Customer will then call about there system not working correctly or running for hours on end.
Not trying to argue with you guys just telling you what Ive seen after almost a decade and half of being in the hvac trade.
Customer will then call about there system not working correctly or running for hours on end.
Not trying to argue with you guys just telling you what Ive seen after almost a decade and half of being in the hvac trade.
I have a programmable but just set "hold temp" at 61 around the clock and I am comfortable with that.
Last edited:
Amp draw on a compressor depends on the load on the system which is determined by the temperature and humidity inside the house and the temperature outside. A compressor will certainly work harder on a day its 95 degrees out versus 75 degrees and the amp draw will reflect that. The indoor heat load will also affect the amp draw.
I have not seen that because every house I have owned has had a properly sized furnace and A/C unit and all were well insulated. I have no doubt what you are saying is true.
I have a nest with geo fencing which can adjust your heat/AC depending on your distance from home using your phones location. Also its a learning t stat keeps my heat between 68-70 and AC at 74.
Its more efficient for the compressor to run extended periods of time then cycling throughout the day on extremely hot days. And less wear and tear on the system
Yep. Even in July with the AC running for 244 hours the electricity bill wasn’t completely outrageous considering we were very comfortable inside the house. Our first house had a massively oversized system that cycled very frequently, sucked down way more energy, and was awful at maintaining a decent temperature and humidity.
2000sf 2 story Colonial, Hot water baseboard, some upgraded windows and insulation in my house, 3 zones and a heat pump that replaced old central air (1 unit whole house).
1 zone is just my FIL's 20x20 room/bathroom that was converted from family room, very well insulated and sealed, new Anderson windows. He has his own T-stat. 65 at night, 69 morning waking up, 67 rest of day as he's in and out, 69 evening. He has a window AC for summer, not on central air.
1st floor- crappy windows and insulation in kitchen, decent windows in LR and dining room. Winter - 70 in the morning, 67 day, 69 evening, 65 night. Summer off.
2nd floor. - 2 stats -
#1 for HWBB. winter - "hold" at 64 or 65 degrees depending outside conditions. Summer off
#2 for Heat pump 2 stage (reads about 2 degrees colder than #1)- Winter currently "hold" on 63 as it keeps menopausal wife happy. Kids and I like cold for sleeping anyway. We all have down comforters. It heats good and helps circulate everything in the house. HWBB will rarely turn on set that way
When the #1 HWBB gets turned up a degree, that kicks in first heating upstairs and has water circulating. Better than frozen pipes in closed areas. shortly after the #2 HP will kick in and circulate. It has been working well to reduce oil use and my electric is less with the heatpump vs old central air. Win-Win IMO.
Summer #2 heat pump. Usually set on 68 as a "hold", keeps house very comfortable for us. Wife was hot a couple times this past summer and I found that down at 62 degrees.
I work nights so someone is almost always home. FIL is retired and comes and goes all day. Those settings work for us.
1 zone is just my FIL's 20x20 room/bathroom that was converted from family room, very well insulated and sealed, new Anderson windows. He has his own T-stat. 65 at night, 69 morning waking up, 67 rest of day as he's in and out, 69 evening. He has a window AC for summer, not on central air.
1st floor- crappy windows and insulation in kitchen, decent windows in LR and dining room. Winter - 70 in the morning, 67 day, 69 evening, 65 night. Summer off.
2nd floor. - 2 stats -
#1 for HWBB. winter - "hold" at 64 or 65 degrees depending outside conditions. Summer off
#2 for Heat pump 2 stage (reads about 2 degrees colder than #1)- Winter currently "hold" on 63 as it keeps menopausal wife happy. Kids and I like cold for sleeping anyway. We all have down comforters. It heats good and helps circulate everything in the house. HWBB will rarely turn on set that way
When the #1 HWBB gets turned up a degree, that kicks in first heating upstairs and has water circulating. Better than frozen pipes in closed areas. shortly after the #2 HP will kick in and circulate. It has been working well to reduce oil use and my electric is less with the heatpump vs old central air. Win-Win IMO.
Summer #2 heat pump. Usually set on 68 as a "hold", keeps house very comfortable for us. Wife was hot a couple times this past summer and I found that down at 62 degrees.
I work nights so someone is almost always home. FIL is retired and comes and goes all day. Those settings work for us.
Alot goes into optimizing an HVAC system, including your choice of T.stat and the programming. First big questions are your location and if you care about saving money and helping the environment. Assuming a yes on both, you should look at varying the temp between 5 and 8 degrees up or down when occupied or unoccupied, and when sleeping, again depending on your location and outside temperatures.
Everyone in the home has a preferred "comfort" temperature. The body is also good at adapting throughout the seasons as it changes. If you have a programmable t.stat take the time to learn how to set it. Some are more complex, some are wifi/app operated and have their own benefits, recognizing some effort may be required to learn how to use them. I have no doubt you will ultimately reap the benefits if you do.
Everyone in the home has a preferred "comfort" temperature. The body is also good at adapting throughout the seasons as it changes. If you have a programmable t.stat take the time to learn how to set it. Some are more complex, some are wifi/app operated and have their own benefits, recognizing some effort may be required to learn how to use them. I have no doubt you will ultimately reap the benefits if you do.
I'm not talking about efficiency, I'm talking about comfort. For example, one hot summer day, our daughter turned the AC off because she was cold.
I get home from work maybe between 5-5:30 and it was 80º+ inside the house. It took 3-4 hours (or it seemed like it!!) to cool the house down to 72-74º. Every time the thermostat incremented down a degree, there was a little sense of relief ! 
Time to set a lockout on the t stat. lolI'm not talking about efficiency, I'm talking about comfort. For example, one hot summer day, our daughter turned the AC off because she was cold.
I have a set of data when no one was home 7:30-4:30 and the temperature was set lower all day.
I also have a set of data where someone is home all day and the temperature remains constant.
The latter has higher natural gas usage.
I also have a set of data where someone is home all day and the temperature remains constant.
The latter has higher natural gas usage.
That's not completely true on all systems. With a modulating gas valve furnace and a variable speed fan it can run at different speeds and heat percentage. From what have found, if you have decent insulation and the set back time is long enough you will definitely save money.
I have the same Ecobee thermostat. It will also learn how long it takes to warm up or cool down your house and start the schedule accordingly so it is at temp at your programmed times.
@Hall
Have you guys been happy with the Ecobee? Our new home has a Honeywell and control it through the alarm system.
IT works fine but it works on Z-Wave and the programming options are limited when using the Z-Wave yet if I choose not too then it opens up more options.
My utility company offers a mostly free Ecobee or Honeywell WiFi thermostat installed and if I give them permission will also credit me $5 a month to be able to adjust my thermostat during peak demand emergencies (lack of better word) for a limited number of times a year.
I dont have much interest in the "Smart" function of it learning my habits and I assume I can turn that off? Meaning I would just want it to come on at the times I select and not have the smart part of the thermostat change that.
Anyway, just curious, not sure I will ever do anything. Believe it or not, my biggest fear is the technician screwing up swapping out the thermostat which is a heat pump.
I like mine. I don't have the "Smart stuff" turned on where it uses proximity sensor to tell if someone is home. I have three external sensors that it can use to even out the temperatures in the house. We have an addition that probably should be zoned, but the external sensors help a little. It can average between the sensors when it decides to turn on or off.
I'm not sure it is worth $5 a month to give all your data and control of your thermostat to the utility company though. I don't want them to be able to control or see what I set my thermostat to. I think Ecobee is one of the best out there.
Similar threads
