Did you know that turning your thermostat back by 7 to 10 degrees for just 8 hours a day can save you up to 10% on your electric bills? While this sounds like great advice, trying to do it manually will quickly become a hassle. This is one of the reasons why Nest thermostats have become so popular. If you’ve taken the plunge already, you might be wondering about the ins and outs of programming nest thermostat. Don’t worry, it’s easy once you know the basics. The following tips will help you get started.
How to Operate a Nest Thermostat: The Basics
Nest thermostats are an excellent addition to any smart home setup, not only because they’ll save you money, but also because they’re so easy to use. These devices don’t even have a touch screen – they work a lot like a traditional thermostat.
All you have to do is turn the ring to the right when you want to increase the temperature and to the left when you want to lower it. To see more options, press the ring towards the wall, then turn the ring left or right to choose the option. Once you see what you’re looking for, press the ring again to confirm your selection.
Programming Nest Thermostat with the Nest App
If you really want to make the most out of your Nest thermostat, you’ll want to download the Nest App. This will allow you to control the temperature in your house when you’re not home, easily change settings, and see a variety of reports.
Before you’re able to access these features, you need to:
- Download the app and set up a free account
- Connect your thermostat to your WiFi network
- Link your thermostat to the app
Once you’ve got everything connected, you can control all of your thermostat’s features right from your phone. If you have multiple Nest thermostats, you’ll want to repeat this process for each one. When it’s done correctly, you’ll see each one listed in the app.
Change Your Target Temperature
When you first open the Nest app, you’ll see both your current and target temperatures. To change the target, touch the target on the screen and drag your finger along the ring until you reach the temperature you desire. To fine-tune this, use the up and down arrows at the bottom of the ring.
Turn on the Fan
You can also turn your system’s fan on and off independently of the cooling and heating. To do this, tap the fan icon. Then, swipe left or right to show how long you want your fan to run. When you’re done, simply touch “start.”
Change Your Temperature Schedule
One of the coolest things about a Nest thermostat is that it will automatically learn your schedule and adjust your home’s temperatures in a way that will keep you comfortable and also save you money.
However, if you wish, you can also override this and set your own schedule. To do so, tap the “schedule” icon, which looks like a combination of a clock and a calendar. From here, you’ll be able to see your current schedule and make changes.
Change Your Thermostat Settings
If you want to change any other settings on your thermostat, simply click the “settings” icon. Some of the things you can do include:
- Changing the thermostat’s brightness
- Turning the clicking sound on or off
- Changing the display
- Setting minimum and maximum “safe temperatures”
- Setting reminders to change your air filter
- Switching between Fahrenheit and Celsius
- Changing the date and time
- Changing the language
- Changing the WiFi network your thermostat is connected to
- Managing your “Home/Away Assist” settings
From the settings tab, you can also lock the thermostat. Options including preventing changes outside of certain temperature ranges or preventing anyone else from changing your thermostat’s settings.
View Your Energy History
The Nest thermostat also tracks your cooling, heating, and fan usage over 10-day rolling periods. This is called the “energy history,” and you’ll access it by tapping the icon that looks like a clock.
Thermostat Modes
The Nest thermostat has several different modes. Depending on the model you choose, your options are usually:
- Heat – the system will only heat the home and won’t cool unless you hit the maximum safety temperature.
- Cool – the system will only cool the home and won’t heat unless you hit the minimum safety temperature.
- Heat-Cool – the system will either heat or cool as needed to keep your home within the designated temperature range.
- Off – the system won’t do anything unless you go outside the range of the safety temperatures.
- Eco – the system will either heat or cool to keep the temperatures within your “eco range.”
Note that the thermostat will also switch to Eco mode when it senses that nobody is home. This is one of the ways that it helps to save energy.
Take Control of Your Tech!
Now that you know all the basics of programming Nest thermostat, you’re ready to start saving money and energy! But, you don’t have to stop there. There are many different ways that you can harness the power of technology to improve your life.
Our site has lots of tips to help you take control of tech and solve the most common problems. Want to learn more? Spend some time browsing through the “How To” section of our site.
