The “on” option for the fan is generally considered an energy waster since it will require a decent amount of energy to move that much air on a constant basis. Due to this most people only ever leave the fan set to “auto. ” Many people use the “on” option simply to flush air out of a house—if something burned while cooking and you want to circulate enough air to clear the smell, for instance.

You will likely hear the system click as it engages and turns on the air conditioning to lower the temperature in the house to what you have set. The system will run until the house reaches the chosen temperature, and then it will automatically turn itself off and only reengage when the internal thermometer registers that the home is warmer than the set temperature. You can use the same switch or button to cycle the system to “off” at any time.

You may also see an “EM heat” or “emergency heat” setting on your thermostat, especially if you live in an area prone to bitter cold conditions. This setting corresponds to a separate electric heating unit in the home in the event that the larger system breaks or freezes over during winter. [1] X Research source While it does not hurt to test the emergency heating option periodically, you should stick to the standard heat setting for day-to-day use.

Prompts will indicate whether to enter the time as a twelve-hour increment or as a twenty-four-hour figure. You may also need to set the day of the week, but it will follow in the same process after the time and date. [3] X Research source

Most thermostats will allow you to schedule weekdays and weekends separately, whereas some may allow you to schedule each day separately. Again, you can use the up and down arrows to cycle through the time.

Some models may allow you to set a temperature range so that you don’t have to reprogram the thermostat with each season. For example, it may prompt you to set both a wake summer and winter temperature. This will ensure that the system heats when the ambient temperature is below a certain threshold and cools when above another threshold. [7] X Research source

If you don’t want the system to run at all while you’re away, you can simply set it to turn on at a temperature that you know your home won’t reach.

Wherever you set this temperature will hold over until the “wake” time and temperature you have set for the following morning.

Heat controls the heater. Cool controls the air conditioner. Heat/Cool allows you to run both at the same time to give your home a more personalized temperature. Eco sets the thermostat according to energy-saving temperatures when you’re out of the house.

Twist your dial to the left or right to pick your preferred time, then twist the dial up or down to select the temperature you would like.

To enter the entry key, open your app and select “Settings. " Click “Add Product,” followed by “Continue Without Scanning. " The app will prompt you to enter the entry key. [14] X Research source Once you connect your thermostat to the app, you’ll be able to access your thermostat’s home screen via the app anytime you’re connected to Wi-Fi. [15] X Research source

If this feels a little cold at first, wear warmer clothes around the house and bundle up with some extra blankets at night.