Many home owners inherently change their thermostat setting with the seasons to ensure home comfort but suffer the consequences of outrageous utility bills. You shouldn’t have to compromise comfort for saving. No matter the season, these recommended thermostat settings will help prepare your thermostat’s heating and air conditioning and are sure to save you some money along the way.
Recommended Thermostat Settings
Your home’s temperature should change with the seasons. The smaller the difference between the external temperature and the internal temperature of your home, the less work your HVAC unit is going to have to do, which ultimately saves you money.
Winter
During the colder months of the year, you can save energy and keep your costs in check by setting your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit while you are at home and setting it 5 – 8 degrees lower when you are away.
Depending on your home comfort preferences, you might also consider lowering your home’s temperature at night while you sleep. Many people find sleeping in cooler temperatures ideal and lowering the temperature of your home while you sleep will have the same energy and cost saving effects as lowering the temperature while you are away. You can save as much as 10% a year on your utility bill by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.
Summer
In the summer, to achieve maximum home comfort and energy savings, it is generally recommended to set your thermostat’s cooling system to 78 degrees Fahrenheit while at home.
You can follow the same strategy with your air conditioning as you did in the winter months with your heat, just in reverse. You will save energy and money by keeping your home’s temperature slightly higher while you are away in the summer, just as decreasing the temperature while you are away from home in the winter helps you save.
It is estimated that for each degree higher you set your home’s temperature over 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer, that you could save approximately six to eight percent off your utility bill, per degree.
No matter the season, adjusting your thermostat setting anytime your house is vacant for four or more hours per day can help save you energy. When you are going to be away from home for several hours consider adjusting the temperature 5 – 8 degrees (down in winter, up in summer).
It’s important to note that indoor home humidity plays a role in the comfort of the air in your home as well. Read our blog, Ways to Lower Your Home Humidity, to help you reach your maximum home comfort level.
Benefits of Installing a Programmable Thermostat
Although thermostats can be adjusted manually, programmable thermostats will help you avoid adjusting temperatures before/after you wake and when leaving/returning home. Installing a programmable thermostat will allow you to save on your utility bill and run a scheduled heating and cooling program without having to remember to manually change your settings throughout the day.
When programming your thermostat, take into consideration your daily routine. Do you like to sleep in a cool house? If so, you might want to start the temperature setback a bit ahead of the time you actually go to bed. During the winter to ensure the house is nice and warm when you wake up, you might want to set the thermostat so the heat comes on a bit before you actually get up. Also consider the routines of others in your household. Is there a time during the day when the house is unoccupied for four or more hours? If so, this may be a perfect opportunity to save some energy and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Programmable digital thermostats are designed to maximize the performance of your heating and air conditioning system. Most programmable thermostats are able to automatically adjust the temperature in your home up to six or more times per day. They also allow you to manually override the automatic settings at any time without interrupting the already set programming. Ultimately, programmable thermostats allow you to save money and energy, and offer ease of use and piece of mind.