What does the Satisfy Setpoint Feature Do?

                The Satisfy Setpoint feature of the Pro1 thermostats is designed to bring the temperature of the home, office, garage, or any other space that is being heated or cooled back to the set point temperature as quickly as possible.  This feature is unique to the Pro1 line of thermostats in the ability to return the temperature to its set point more quickly than the competition.

                In a typical HVAC system, the auxiliary source is only used to stop the temperature from varying from the set point.  Once the temperature starts to work toward the set point the auxiliary system shuts off and the main system is left to do all the work.  This might be the most efficient use of both systems, but the wear and tear on the main system is much greater, and the length of time the main system has to run becomes must longer than it needs to be.

                By utilizing the Satisfy Setpoint feature, the HVAC systems that are controlled by a professionally installed Pro1 thermostat only have to operate for a much shorter period of time in order to bring the space back to the set point temperature.  This allows the main system to operate for shorter periods of time and because it is being assisted by the auxiliary system, will allow the main system to last much longer than without the Satisfy Setpoint feature.

                An example of how this works would be a system with a set point temperature of 72 degrees and a 1.0 degree swing setting.  This means the system should begin operation once the temperature drops below 71 degrees in the space.  Without the Satisfy Setpoint feature, the system will start operation when the temperature drops below 71 degrees, and if the temperature drops below 70 degrees, the auxiliary system will begin to operate.

                Once the two systems are working together and the temperature levels out at 70 degrees the auxiliary system turns off and the main heat system is left to continue operation until the temperature is 73 degrees.  Because during this entire time the main system was in operation, the wear and tear on the main heating system is much greater.  Not to mention the system has to run much longer because of the short period the auxiliary is running.

                Using the same example, but adding the Satisfy Setpoint feature into the equation the main system will begin operation at any temperature below 71 degrees and the auxiliary when the temperature is below 70 degrees.  The difference here is the auxiliary system will continue to run until the set point temperature is satisfied which will be at 73 degrees.   Because both systems are in operation during the entire time the system is trying to reach the set point temperature the main system does not have to run as long as in our first example.

                Because of the quick return to set point temperatures, the use of Satisfy Setpoint is great for gaining maximum comfort and providing for equipment longevity as well.   With the Pro1 line of thermostats, the contractor can set the swing setting for the homeowner as low as 0.2 degrees differential all the way to 2.0 degrees differential to either maximize comfort or efficiency.

                At this point you might think your customers are not going to want both systems running so hard to get back to temperature, and wonder if there are any alternative options.  Actually, there is, if you partner the Satisfy Setpoint feature with the Staging Delay feature, you can actually get the best of both worlds.

                The Staging Delay is another great feature from Pro1 that allows homeowners to choose when the auxiliary system is engaged.  By doing this, the main system has the opportunity to return the home to its set point temperature before ever engaging the auxiliary heat source.  The Staging Delay feature can be set to as little as five minutes to as much as ninety minutes depending on the climate or need for a constant temperature.

                Now you can really see some benefits to all the features offered by Pro1.  By offering your customers the ability to have their swing settings set for a large differential, ensuring the Satisfy Setpoint feature is turned on, and the Staging Delay is set for a long delay, you will be able to counsel your customers to ensure their equipment has the maximum longevity it can.

                On the other hand, if they have comfort in mind, setting a smaller differential for the swing settings and still utilizing the Satisfy Setpoint feature, but without the Staging Delay at all, any differential in temperature will quickly disappear.

                Most likely your customers will choose something in between, which allows you to help them be comfortable, enjoy savings with some energy efficiency, and increase the equipment longevity of their system by choosing the right settings.  

Should You Use Programming with a Heat Pump?

                Programmable thermostats have become increasingly popular over time.  The ability to set it and forget it regarding the temperature in your home is a feature which has made itself almost a necessity in our face paced and fully automated world.  How does setting a programmable thermostat affect your heating and cooling bill?  Are you really getting the most efficient use of you system with the ability to set the temperature you want and leave it alone?

                With many systems, all of the heating systems will engage when the temperature drops below the preset allowable temperature.  This means the main heat and auxiliary heat have both been engaged in the system which causes an increase in the heating bill.  Using a programmable thermostat, while providing you with the comfort you want, can actually cause you to spend more money on the heating bill than without it.

                What this also can mean is if you choose not to have a programmable thermostat you might have to set temperatures that will keep the system from running unnecessarily when the home is unoccupied.  This can become a real hassle for most people, and I’m sure you will have a very hard time selling many of you customers on the idea they have to adjust their system on a daily basis.

                Even if someone is willing to set their thermostat daily to ensure the least amount of system operation while they are at work, what happens when they forget to do this?  Most likely they are then going to be upset with themselves for having a system that is not using a programmable thermostat and even worse, probably be upset with you for selling this nuisance to them, that won’t be very good for your word of mouth advertising at all.

                Pro1 has come up with a fantastic solution to this problem.  They have a wide variety of thermostats that utilize a feature called Satisfy Setpoint.  By using the Satisfy Setpoint feature of the Pro1 thermostat your clients can have the luxury of a programmable thermostat, without having the increase in their heating bill associated with the entire system operating when it doesn’t need to.

                With the Satisfy Setpoint feature of the Pro1 thermostats the main heat system will engage when necessary, but the auxiliary will not engage to start with.  The feature allows the main heat system to be responsible for bringing the temperature back up to the desired point without engaging the auxiliary for a selected time period.

                This can be a huge advantage for your customers as well as a great selling point for you when preparing to install the thermostats in your clients’ homes.  Many homeowners today are under the impression using a heat pump is supposed to be this major energy savings all by itself, but how much better will they feel when you tell them they can save even more with the Pro1 line of thermostats armed with Satisfy Setpoint.

                At this point you might be wondering when the auxiliary heat is going to kick in, is the time period adjustable or is it only a set time for all systems that really doesn’t show a savings?  The reality is the time period can be set to a wide variety of times.  The main heat will be afforded the opportunity to return the home to the correct temperature from as little as five minutes and as many as ninety with several selections in between.  In addition, this is a feature your customers can set for themselves so they don’t have to be stuck with a setting you gave them if it’s not really working for them. 

                By having the ability to set the time for the delay in auxiliary heat themselves, you won’t have to make unnecessary trips to their home just to adjust settings until they get used to the way the new system works, that can be a real problem for you and them, wasting your time and energy to do something that they now are able to do for themselves.  In fact, if the homeowner doesn’t like the Satisfy Setpoint feature, they can even turn it off and allow the main and auxiliary systems to bring the temperature up more quickly.

                By creating the Satisfy Setpoint feature on many of their thermostats, Pro1 has provided the installers of thermostats and heating systems the ability to provide their customers an even larger savings than ever before when using a heat pump system.  No more does a homeowner have to worry about whether or not their system is running when they aren’t home as long as they have set their program correctly the delay in auxiliary heat operation provided by the Satisfy Setpoint feature will keep a customer’s heating bill down and your word of mouth advertising up.

Is There a Thermostat with a Slab Sensor for Radiant Heating?

                Have you ever visited a friend, neighbor, or relative and wondered why their home was so warm?  In many cases you as the guest may have left feeling the problem was circulation of the individuals living in the home, but in reality it is from an inefficient method of heating from their current heating system.  In order to heat the home much more efficiently, a sensing point needs to be near the heating source, not simply high on the wall where the heat ends up.

                In a radiant heating system, coming up from under the floor having a sensing point near the heat sources will ensure on the necessary amount of heat is coming into the home rather than always having to overheat the home.  By doing this, your friend, neighbor, or relative no longer needs to switch from their winter clothes for the outdoors to a tropical theme indoors, but can feel comfortable in their own home.

                A huge benefit to having the sensing point set up near the heat source, or at least one of them, you still need the on at the thermostat level as well, once the system senses the correct temperature for the space, the unit can shut off.  With this floor level sensing point that will be much earlier than if all that was present was a wall mounted sensing point.

                Where can you get such a great product to help you save your clients and friends some money on their energy bill and ensure you install an efficient system?  Pro1 has a fantastic set up to give you just what you need with both the thermostat and an additional sensing point.  The T755S thermostat is the right model for the job you need to make the system as efficient as possible.

                The Pro1 T755S thermostat offers the homeowner a 5/1/1 programmable setting option on a four inch digital display which can be powered by either batteries or hardwired into the home.  This thermostat sets up a two stage for both heating and cooling on a conventional system, or a three stage heat, two stage cooling with a heat pump.

                Most importantly to our conversation is the Pro1 T755S thermostat is compatible with wired in remote sensors.  By pairing the T755S with the outdoor remote sensor, R250S and installing the sensor near the point the heat source enters the home from the floor, you are offering your customers the control and efficiency they deserve.

                The cycles on the T755S are adjustable for both heating and cooling from a step of 0.02 degrees up to 2.0 degrees allowing for maximum control of the system.  By setting the system to sense a difference of 2.0 degrees, your customers can maximize their system efficiency keeping the system from coming on unless the differential is at least 2.0 degrees. On the other hand, if you client is more comfort conscious and want to keep their home at a fairly regulated temperature, the setting can be as low as sensing a differential of 0.2 degrees and be able to maximize the comfort and continuous temperature.

                No matter what the settings are, the T755S paired with the R250S sensor set up in the floor, will provide you clients with the most efficiency they can hope for as well as ensuring their home is not overheated.  Another add on the T755S is great with is the R251S remote sensor.

                The R251S is a remote sensor that allows for up to sixteen different sensing points throughout the home.  By using this sensor, your clients can have the entire home set at the same temperature by taking an average throughout the home. 

                If you install both the R251S and R250S sensors in your client’s home not only can they keep the home at a preset average temperature throughout, they also will avoid overheating with the sensors in the floor.  No doubt with such an efficient system in place your customers will be sending work your way for any of their friends who need a new thermostat, or complete heating and cooling upgrade.

                Another great use for the R250S is to set it up to sense the outside temperature.  By doing this, the system can adjust the home and have the right function engage in order to be the absolute most efficient the system can be.  Using the R250S in this way allows the homeowner to almost have the system be entirely self-sufficient.

                By using the Pro1 T755S thermostat with the two sensor systems, the R250S and R251S, installing one R250S in the floor, and one outside, any homeowner can appreciate a vast amount of saving on their heating and cooling bill usually caused by overheating.  If you ensure you clients are aware what a great system they are having installed, there is no doubt they will be sending work your way very quickly.

Pro 1 Thermostats Link: http://pro1iaq.com

Should You Use Programming with a Heat Pump?

                Programmable thermostats have become increasingly popular over time.  The ability to set it and forget it regarding the temperature in your home is a feature which has made itself almost a necessity in our face paced and fully automated world.  How does setting a programmable thermostat affect your heating and cooling bill?  Are you really getting the most efficient use of you system with the ability to set the temperature you want and leave it alone?

                With many systems, all of the heating systems will engage when the temperature drops below the preset allowable temperature.  This means the main heat and auxiliary heat have both been engaged in the system which causes an increase in the heating bill.  Using a programmable thermostat, while providing you with the comfort you want, can actually cause you to spend more money on the heating bill than without it.

                What this also can mean is if you choose not to have a programmable thermostat you might have to set temperatures that will keep the system from running unnecessarily when the home is unoccupied.  This can become a real hassle for most people, and I’m sure you will have a very hard time selling many of you customers on the idea they have to adjust their system on a daily basis.

                Even if someone is willing to set their thermostat daily to ensure the least amount of system operation while they are at work, what happens when they forget to do this?  Most likely they are then going to be upset with themselves for having a system that is not using a programmable thermostat and even worse, probably be upset with you for selling this nuisance to them, that won’t be very good for your word of mouth advertising at all.

                Pro1 has come up with a fantastic solution to this problem.  They have a wide variety of thermostats that utilize a feature called Satisfy Setpoint.  By using the Satisfy Setpoint feature of the Pro1 thermostat your clients can have the luxury of a programmable thermostat, without having the increase in their heating bill associated with the entire system operating when it doesn’t need to.

                With the Satisfy Setpoint feature of the Pro1 thermostats the main heat system will engage when necessary, but the auxiliary will not engage to start with.  The feature allows the main heat system to be responsible for bringing the temperature back up to the desired point without engaging the auxiliary for a selected time period.

                This can be a huge advantage for your customers as well as a great selling point for you when preparing to install the thermostats in your clients’ homes.  Many homeowners today are under the impression using a heat pump is supposed to be this major energy savings all by itself, but how much better will they feel when you tell them they can save even more with the Pro1 line of thermostats armed with Satisfy Setpoint.

                At this point you might be wondering when the auxiliary heat is going to kick in, is the time period adjustable or is it only a set time for all systems that really doesn’t show a savings?  The reality is the time period can be set to a wide variety of times.  The main heat will be afforded the opportunity to return the home to the correct temperature from as little as five minutes and as many as ninety with several selections in between.  In addition, this is a feature your customers can set for themselves so they don’t have to be stuck with a setting you gave them if it’s not really working for them. 

                By having the ability to set the time for the delay in auxiliary heat themselves, you won’t have to make unnecessary trips to their home just to adjust settings until they get used to the way the new system works, that can be a real problem for you and them, wasting your time and energy to do something that they now are able to do for themselves.  In fact, if the homeowner doesn’t like the Satisfy Setpoint feature, they can even turn it off and allow the main and auxiliary systems to bring the temperature up more quickly.

                By creating the Satisfy Setpoint feature on many of their thermostats, Pro1 has provided the installers of thermostats and heating systems the ability to provide their customers an even larger savings than ever before when using a heat pump system.  No more does a homeowner have to worry about whether or not their system is running when they aren’t home as long as they have set their program correctly the delay in auxiliary heat operation provided by the Satisfy Setpoint feature will keep a customer’s heating bill down and your word of mouth advertising up.

I am sick of customers thinking they are getting ripped off because they see the Honeywell thermostat I installed at Home Depot at a lower cost than I charge? Are there any other options out there?

                This can be a real problem for many the builder or contractor.  As many builders will actually build in the prices not only of the labor, but also of the loading and hauling of materials into the quote for a job, it’s really hard to have to explain to your customers why they see a price difference in any part of the building or remodeling process from what is in the store.

                Unless you specifically include a separate line on your invoices for these fees and services, you might be stuck having to explain to homeowner after homeowner why they see the stuff you install cheaper somewhere else.  Couple that with frequent sales at the retailers; the ability of homeowners to shop your materials online; and this can become a real pricing nightmare for any contractor or builder.

                The ability to purchase great thermostats at reasonable prices and not have to deal with customers shopping you around to every retailer out there is a great comfort provided by Pro1.  Pro1 sells their thermostats exclusively to the business professional, contractors and builders, and backs them all with fantastic warranties.

                No longer do you need to worry about how you need to price the thermostat, instead you can charge what you are comfortable charging for the product and not have to worry about facing an angry customer when they find out what you really paid for it.  Unfortunately it seems many customers don’t understand everyone has a need to make a living and the only way you the builder are going to be able to do this is to mark up the materials; with Pro1 thermostats, that problem has been solved.

                Now you might wonder are the Pro1 thermostats of good quality.  These thermostats are top of the line and are backed by the manufacturer with a full five year warranty.  There is seldom a need to order a replacement due to defects or stoppage in operation, allowing you to put your own warranty on the work as well.  With such a great backing by the company, you can be assured there won’t be a lot of free trips to homeowners to fix or replace their thermostats; thus keeping you working on new projects instead of having to visit old ones.

                As far as variety, Pro1 has that and then some.  With over 45 different variations of just thermostats you are sure to find one that will meet you client’s needs.  Whether you are building an entire new construction neighborhood or just an addition to a single home, Pro1 has what you need and allows you the flexibility of ordering in bulk, or just a single unit at a time.

                When was the last time you were able to put your name on a thermostat?  When you install products in homes or businesses, usually the only name on the product is that of the manufacturer forget the guy who installed it professionally, well not anymore.  With the PRO1 thermostats you can actually advertise your company so you are in the fore thought of your customers and potentially their friends.

                When a customer of yours is happy with the work you did, and maybe they are unable to remember your information to pass along to their dinner guests, or buddies who came over to watch the big game, you can now provide them a way to give your information right on the thermostat with the Pro1 Private Label Program.  Simply remove the magnetic Pro1 Company badge and replace it with your own newly printed magnetic badge and you have some great advertising.  Seldom do you see a company support the contractors in this way to provide them a way to advertise for themselves.

                Another small benefit to using the Pro1 thermostats is their Loyalty Points Program.  With this program all you have to do is mail in the box flaps from the thermostats and you earn points.  The prizes you can receive range from a sharp looking cap to a $50 gift card to Cabela’s or Best Buy.  How cool is that; just for using their products Pro1 will give you some fun prizes as well.

                With the Pro1 line of thermostats you as the business professional can really take care of your customers’ needs.  With a great line of products that is sure to please any homeowner, backed by their five year warranty, you can rest assured when the job is done, it is truly done and you will be able to take full advantage of the benefits of the Pro1 Private Label and Loyalty Points Programs. 

How Much Does a Thermostat Really Impact Your Energy Bill?

                We hear all the time about how important it is to utilize the set it and forget it benefits of a programmable thermostat to ensure the heating and cooling systems for our homes are not operating when they really shouldn’t be, but what does that really mean?  On top of this quandary, how much of a savings can you really experience with a good programmable thermostat?

                In a typical home, the residents are using energy for just about every facet of their lives.  We all have washer and dryers that either use gas or electricity, stoves and ovens, refrigerators, microwaves, water heaters, and the many lights throughout the home.  Add to this most homes have several televisions, DVD players, satellite or cable boxes, computers, and even the smaller kitchen appliances.  With almost every member in most households now having their own cell phones, we have to remember charging these devices also uses up energy.

                With such a long list, it might surprise you to find out that even in a home that has a ton of gadgets and gizmos, the heating and cooling system still accounts for as much as 40% of the entire energy bill.  That’s is nearly half and that is with all the energy sucking devices listed above, so doesn’t it make sense to find a way to cut that 40% as much as possible?

                With a good programmable thermostat, you can experience a great deal of savings in your energy bill throughout the year.  By having the ability to set a thermostat to run more efficiently, the amount of running time will be reduced greatly which saves in the wear and tear on the system as well as the amount it has to run to keep the home at an optimal temperature.

                Without a programmable thermostat, the homeowner would need to remember to change the settings on a daily basis to ensure the system isn’t running when the home isn’t occupied.  This can become a real hassle for most people as they might be in a rush and forget to change the set temperature before leaving for the day.

                All this said might not make you think a good programmable thermostat is going to change anything at all for your decision, but let me paint a small picture for you.  If your average energy bill for an entire year is $5000 and 40% of that is for the heating and cooling system that means you are spending $2000 per year on just that system.  If we were able to reduce that amount by 10% just by having a good programmable thermostat installed, you would save at least $200 over the course of a year.

                That might not sound like a lot of savings, but it could mean you get to take your spouse to dinner a couple more times, see a couple more movies in the year, or even buy tickets to a sporting event you have wanted to see, all because you were smart enough to have a good programmable thermostat installed.

                The way a programmable thermostat works is to allow the homeowner to choose settings based on when they actually occupy the home.  If you have a nine to five job and no one is at the home during these hours, why would you need to keep the temperature at a comfortable setting all day long?  Instead you can set the program to not allow the system to turn on unless a below average temperature is reached in the home, thus reducing the frequency with which the system operates.  How this would affect the weekends, when you are home is to allow you to have setting that can be programmed for the weekend.

                Pro1, one of the leading manufacturers of thermostats has a ton of choices for anyone looking to get a great programmable thermostat.  Their settings can be set at either a 5/1/1 or 7-day settings depending on your busy schedule.  This means you can have the settings for Monday through Friday set differently than on Saturday and Sunday, or set up a different setting for each day of the week if you happen to be a person who is home more during the week or has an alternating schedule.

                Another savings that Pro1 has built into some of their thermostats is called Satisfy Setpoint.  With this feature the main heating system will have the opportunity to reach the desired set point before the auxiliary heat ever comes on.  This could become a second way you can save even more money on that energy bill.

                With a good programmable thermostat, you can have the climate of your home set for your best comfort when home, but also ensure the most efficient use of the system when you are not home.  No wonder programmable thermostats are an extremely popular choice for many homeowners looking to find some energy savings wherever they can.