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Forget the stock market. Few hour-long home-improvement projects will pay year-in, year-out cost-savings dividends like replacing your old thermostat with a new programmable - or "automatic setback" - model. Depending on the severity of the winters where you live, you could realize a savings of up to 35 percent on your yearly energy bills. Who wouldn't want to do that?

Quick tip: when shopping for your new thermostat, check the thermostat package to ensure it is compatible with your home's system.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

SKILL SCALE
Easy

TIME REQUIRED
You can buy, install, and program your new thermostat all in the space of a morning.

TOOLS
Screwdriver

MATERIALS
Programmable thermostat
Masking tape

Turn off the power to your heating and air-conditioning system at the main service panel. Remove the old thermostat cover plate.

Unscrew the thermostat mounting screws, and remove the thermostat body.

Label the low-voltage wires to identify their screw-terminal locations using masking tape. Then disconnect the wires.

Remove the thermostat base by loosening the mounting screws. Tape the wires to the wall to prevent them from slipping into the wall cavity.

Thread the low-voltage wires through the base of the new thermostat. Mount the thermostat base on the wall using the screws included with the thermostat.

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