When the temperatures rise outdoors, they also tend to rise indoors as well, which can create an environment that is very uncomfortable within your home. Yet, as we all well know, running an air conditioner nonstop during the hottest months of the year can certainly get expensive. There is one thing you can do, however, to decrease the amount you spend on cooling costs, and that is to mind your thermostat. Most people don’t realize the important connection between your thermostat and energy costs, but by taking a few easy precautions, you can start experiencing practically effortless energy savings.
What’s the Best Home Thermostat Setting? It Depends.
There’s a common assumption that the most energy efficient setting for your thermostat is 72ºF, but this isn’t exactly true. It is much smarter to instead set your thermostat to a temperature that is close the the reading outside, within about 4ºF. That means, if the temperature is in the mid 80’s outdoors, aim for high 70s indoors.
In the summer months, it’s wise to set your thermostat to the highest temperature you can tolerate; in the winter, go as cold as you can stand. This helps to keep your A/C or furnace from working overtime, which can really hike up your energy bills. For best overall system functioning and energy savings, aim for 78ºF in the summertime and 68ºF in the wintertime.
Making the Adjustment
If those ideal temperature settings seem too hot or too cold for your taste, rest assured that they are quite easy to adjust to. Even though this adjustment can take some time, it’s well worth the generous energy savings over the long run. You can also adjust your thermostat gradually and still reap the rewards of lower energy bills. Simply start at your normal setting, and each day (or every other day) either decrease or increase your thermostat to reach your ideal seasonal setting. Do this until you have worked your way up to 78ºF during warmer temps and 68ºF during cooler weather. Your body will adjust quite easily to this change and your wallet will thank you! For every degree you modify your thermostat towards the ideal temperature setting, you could save between 3 and 5%!
Consider a Programmable Thermostat
Another easy way to save on energy costs and still keep comfortable is to invest in a programmable thermostat, and allow it to do the temperature adjustment for you. These convenient devices are easy to install and offer several benefits to improve the comfort of your home. With a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the temperature inside your home on an automatic schedule with little fuss or worry on your end. This is extremely helpful for people who spend a good deal of time away, either at work or at school. For example, you can set the thermostat schedule to adjust your indoor temperature to a setting that would save you a lot of energy (for example, 80º during the summertime) and have it drop back down to a more comfortable temperature 30 minutes before you are due to arrive home.
Expert Home Audits for Energy Savings
If you are interested in learning how much energy you can save in your home, or would like to know exactly how much energy you’re using currently, we can help! We at Hader Heating, Cooling, and Roofing understand the importance of energy efficiency in the home and offer comprehensive home energy audits to give you a better understanding of your home energy use, and where you may be able to reduce costs.
