Frequently Asked Questions - Thermostats

The t-stat technology enables Pepco to access your central air-conditioning unit by using a radio signal, similar to the one used in a digital paging system.

Only during times of peak electric demand. Typically, the adjustment will not last longer than four hours. And you can override the adjustment if you need to.

No. We will only cycle the compressor on and off. Your fan will continue to operate and you may not even notice that your air-conditioner has been adjusted.

When your thermostat is installed it will be programmed according to your preferences. Detailed programming instructions are in the user's manual that came with your thermostat.

Simply engage the "Hold" feature and control your cooling levels by adjusting the set point.

There may be a slight difference in the temperature sensor between your old thermostat and your new one. You can change the temperature settings in the program or set point to suit your own comfort. For example, if you were comfortable with your central air-conditioning set at 78 degrees, but feel cold with your new thermostat set at the same temperature, change the setting to 79 degrees and see how that feels. You will find the proper comfort setting for your facility with some minor adjustments.

Sometimes a problem may occur with the way the thermostat has been programmed or the breakdown could be caused by a mechanical problem with your cooling equipment that is unrelated to your thermostat. If you have a problem and think it might be related to the thermostat, please call us toll free at 888-232-5949.

We will send a radio signal page to your thermostat to cycle your compressor off and on. PowerCentsDC will not shut off your central air ¬conditioner. Your fan will continue to operate, so that cool air can continue to circulate throughout your home.

You may not even notice that your air-conditioner has been adjusted. At most, the temperature in your home may increase three or more degrees. After curtailment, your home will quickly return to its set temperature.

You will receive one free thermostat. Additional ones may be purchased for $300.

If you currently have a thermostat that controls both your heating and cooling systems, then your new thermostat may also be able to control both.

The thermostat can usually be installed within two hours.

The programmable thermostat is a helpful way to effectively manage electricity usage.

No. PowerCentsDC uses a wireless one-way paging network to communicate with your thermostat. It does not require either a telephone or computer line.

If the DR event has just started, you should wait for about five minutes and then simply press the down or up button on the thermostat and that will override the ongoing event. We ask you to wait for five minutes because we send two signals five minutes apart to begin the DR event to make sure we initiate the savings event successfully for you.

No.

You may call 1-888-232-5949 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 am until 5 pm. There will be 24x7 assistance for technical issues provided by Honeywell.

The thermostat comes with a one-year warranty.

No, the thermostat is yours to keep.

A “smart thermostat” operates with virtually all popular central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. It provides consumers robust programming options, For example, a homeowner could schedule his or her thermostat when on vacation or warm up the home on a particularly cold day before leaving the office. From the utility's side, the thermostat can be programmed to cycle your heating and air conditioning on and off during specified high energy use times.

Yes. You have the option to override the thermostat at anytime by pressing the up or down arrow keys to adjust the temperature settings.

For all customers, the thermostat will provide you with an estimated usage and bill amount as of the day before. It will also indicate when a demand response event is going on in two ways: a green light will be on during an event and the display will show “save”. In addition, for customers on an hourly pricing plan or critical peak pricing plan, the thermostat will notify you of the current energy price of electricity.

There is a light that is green to indicate a critical peak period or high hourly price. The thermostat will also display additional information regarding price, usage and total expenditure to date.

PowerCentsDC participants who have air conditioning are eligible for the smart thermostat option. The thermostats will be distributed on a first come, first served basis to those who have air conditioning and ask for a thermostat.

Yes. You must have central air conditioning. The thermostat is designed to work with most heating and cooling systems. In the event that your system does not work with the selected thermostat, you will not be able to have a thermostat installed.

The thermostat will be installed by qualified technicians. You will receive operating instructions for the thermostat at the time of installation.

The thermostat will be left at the residence with the homeowner. Installation crew will leave instructions for the safe disposal of thermostats in the event the homeowner chooses to discard.

Unfortunately, if there is a technical problem with installing your thermostat, we will not be able to install the thermostat or leave it with you. The thermostat is designed to work with most heating and cooling systems but occasionally there are technical problems that can’t be overcome. However, even though we could not install the thermostat, you do not need a thermostat to participate in the program. You are still part of the program and we appreciate your participation.