Best Heating Controls for a House That Is Empty During the Week

A house that sits empty Monday through Friday wastes a large share of its heating budget on rooms nobody is using. The right control fixes that by running a separate weekday schedule and returning the house to a comfortable temperature before anyone walks in. The picks below suit three types of buyer: the budget-minded owner who wants a simple setback schedule, the tinkerer who wants phone control, and the homeowner replacing an old dial thermostat with something readable. The overview table below shows the differences at a glance.

Overview of the Picks

Product	Key Spec	Best Use	Price Tier
Honeywell Home RTH20B X2P	5-2 day schedule, 1 heat/1 cool	Simple weekday setback on a budget	Budget
Honeywell Home RTH7600D	7-day programmable touchscreen	Full weekly flexibility, no Wi-Fi	Mid-range
WiFi Thermostat Single-Stage	App remote control, C-wire required	Remote check-ins from anywhere	Budget
Honeywell Home RTH8560D	7-day programmable touchscreen	Large-format everyday scheduling	Mid-range
Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004	Wi-Fi smart color touchscreen, Alexa ready	Full smart-home control	Premium

Honeywell Home RTH20B X2P Programmable Thermostat

Type: Programmable thermostat
Schedule: 5-2 day
Compatibility: Single-stage, 1 heat/1 cool
Color: White

The RTH20B is the straightforward option for a house on a fixed weekly rhythm. Its 5-2 day schedule sets one program for Monday through Friday and another for the weekend, which matches exactly the pattern of a home that empties on weekday mornings. The single-stage, one-heat/one-cool compatibility covers conventional gas, oil and electric systems, so it drops into most older houses without rewiring. The white housing is plain and unobtrusive, and the interface is button-based rather than touch, which keeps it simple for households that do not want an app.

This pick suits owners who leave at the same time every weekday and want the heat to drop while they are gone. It also works for rental units or second homes on a predictable occupancy pattern. The catch is the schedule itself: a 5-2 model cannot give Saturday a different program from Sunday, and there is no remote access, so a change of plans means walking to the wall.

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Trade-off: The fixed weekday/weekend split leaves no room for a one-off day off, and any schedule change has to be made at the unit.

Honeywell Home RTH7600D 7-Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat

Type: Programmable thermostat
Schedule: 7-day
Interface: Touchscreen
Compatibility: Conventional single-stage systems

The RTH7600D steps up to a full seven-day program, meaning each day of the week can carry its own four setback periods. For an empty-week house that is more useful than it first sounds: the weekday schedule can run cold from morning to late afternoon, while Saturday and Sunday stay comfortable all day. The touchscreen replaces buttons with a flat panel that is easier to wipe clean and easier to read at a glance, and the programming is done on the device itself.

This one fits owners who want precise control over a weekly routine without adding the thermostat to a home network. It is a sensible middle choice for a house with an irregular weekend pattern. The limitation is the absence of Wi-Fi: there is no phone app, no remote override, and no way to check the house temperature from the office, so a surprise early return means arriving to a cold house.

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Trade-off: Without connectivity, the schedule has to be planned in advance and adjusted at the wall, which is a real inconvenience for anyone who travels unpredictably.

WiFi Thermostat for Home, Single-Stage

Type: Smart Wi-Fi thermostat
Control: App remote control
Schedule: 7-day or 0-day programmable
Compatibility: Single-stage, 1 heat/1 cool
Installation: C-wire required

This is the budget route into remote control. The app lets an owner check and change the temperature from anywhere, which is the single most useful feature for a house that stands empty all week: the heating can stay off until someone actually sets off for home. The 7-day or 0-day programming option means the unit can either run a full weekly schedule or behave as a simple manual thermostat controlled entirely from the phone. It is built for single-stage one-heat/one-cool systems, the most common setup in older housing.

The pick suits owners who want app control without paying premium smart-thermostat money, and anyone whose weekday routine changes often enough that a fixed schedule is a poor fit. The important caveat is the C-wire requirement: homes without a spare constant-power wire at the thermostat will need one run or a power adapter, which turns a simple swap into a small electrical job.

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Trade-off: The C-wire requirement rules out a straight swap in many older homes, and the budget build and app experience are unlikely to match the polish of premium brands.

Honeywell Home RTH8560D 7 Day Programmable Touchscreen Thermostat

Type: Programmable thermostat
Schedule: 7-day
Interface: Touchscreen
Compatibility: Conventional heating and cooling systems

The RTH8560D is the roomy, readable take on seven-day programming. The touchscreen is the centerpiece: a large panel that shows the current temperature and the next scheduled change clearly, which matters in a hallway or a poorly lit landing where a small display is hard to read. Each day can hold its own program, so the weekday setback and the weekend comfort periods are set independently. The unit is aimed at conventional systems rather than heat pumps with auxiliary stages.

This pick suits households that want a full weekly schedule with a display everyone in the house can actually read, and it is a good fit for an older owner replacing a dial thermostat. It earns its place as the no-fuss upgrade for a home that is empty on weekdays and busy at weekends. The trade-off is the same as its stablemate: no network connection, so no app and no remote override.

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Trade-off: The lack of Wi-Fi means the schedule must be set at the device, and the unit offers no way to monitor or adjust an empty house remotely.

Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat

Type: Smart Wi-Fi thermostat
Schedule: 7-day programmable
Interface: Color touchscreen
Rating: Energy Star
Voice: Alexa ready
Color: Gray

The RTH9585WF1004 is the premium pick, and it is the one that best matches the empty-week house. A seven-day program handles the weekday setback, Wi-Fi puts the schedule and the current temperature on a phone, and Alexa readiness allows voice changes without touching the wall. The color touchscreen is the most informative display in this group, showing scheduling and system status at a glance, and the Energy Star rating points to efficiency as a design goal rather than an afterthought. The gray housing is a step up in finish from the plain white units.

This suits owners who want the house warm when they arrive and cold while they are away, without ever thinking about the schedule at the wall. It is the right choice for a household already using voice assistants and for anyone who travels and wants to check on the house remotely. The caution is cost and complexity: it is the most expensive unit here, it needs a C-wire, and the extra features only pay off if someone actually uses the app and the voice control.

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Trade-off: The premium price and C-wire requirement mean the smart features have to earn their keep, and a household that never opens the app has overpaid for capability it will not use.

Before You Buy

• Compatibility: Confirm the system is single-stage with one heating and one cooling stage; heat pumps and multi-stage equipment need a different control.
• C-wire: The Wi-Fi models need a constant-power wire at the thermostat; check for one before ordering or budget for an adapter.
• Schedule type: A 5-2 model is enough for a rigid weekday routine; a 7-day model is needed when Saturday and Sunday differ.
• Connectivity: Decide whether remote app access matters, because it is the main dividing line between the budget and premium picks.
• Display: A larger touchscreen is easier to read in a hallway; a small button interface is simpler but less informative.
• Installation: Replacing a thermostat is a low-voltage job, but hiring an electrician or HVAC technician is the safe route for anyone unsure of the wiring.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best heating control for a house that is empty Monday to Friday?
   A seven-day programmable or Wi-Fi thermostat that can hold a deep weekday setback and restore comfort before arrival. The Wi-Fi models add remote override for weeks when plans change.

2. Is a 5-2 thermostat enough for an empty-week house?
   Yes, if the weekday routine is fixed and weekends follow the same pattern. A 7-day model is the better choice when Saturday and Sunday need different schedules.

3. Do these thermostats need a C-wire?
   The two Wi-Fi models do; the programmable Honeywell units are designed for conventional wiring without one. A missing C-wire can usually be solved with an adapter or a short wire run.

4. Can a smart thermostat save money in an empty house?
   The savings come from the setback schedule, not the app. A cheap programmable unit running a consistent weekday setback will cut waste just as effectively as a premium model.

5. Will a programmable thermostat work with a heat pump?
   The units here are specified for single-stage one-heat/one-cool systems. Heat pump equipment generally needs a thermostat designed for it, so check compatibility before buying.

6. How much programming does an empty-week house actually need?
   Four periods per weekday is plenty: a comfortable morning, a deep setback through the working day, a warm evening, and a cooler overnight period.

Bottom Line

For a house that stands empty during the week, the Honeywell Home RTH9585WF1004 is the strongest all-round pick: seven-day scheduling, Wi-Fi remote control and Alexa readiness cover both the routine and the exceptions. Buyers who want the savings without the network should look at the RTH7600D, and the budget Wi-Fi unit is the value option for anyone with a C-wire already in place.