For plenty of hours a day you’re gone at work, or possibly at school. Yet your heating or air conditioning continues to run, without anybody home. This uses up a lot of energy and wastes money. You can dramatically lower this cost by adjusting the thermostat up or down when you go to work and resetting it back to your favored temperature when you get home. But how much should you adjust the temperature?
Here’s what the Department of Energy says about thermostat settings:
You can save around 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat down 7°-10°F for eight hours a day rather than its normal setting. The percentage of savings from setback is better for buildings in milder climates than for those in more extreme climates.
The tinier the contrast between the outdoor and indoor temperatures, the lower your complete cooling bill will be. You can comfortably save energy through the winter by lowering the thermostat to about 68°F while you're awake and setting it down while you're in bed or away from home. During the summer, you can follow the same approach with central air conditioning by keeping your house warmer than normal when you are gone and adjusting the thermostat to a setting as high as you're comfortable with when you are at home and want cooling and to provide humidity control if required.
You might have been informed that these kinds of adjustments aren’t worth the time because your comfort system has to work extra hard to go back to your preferred temperature, using up your savings, but the energy department puts that notion to rest, namely for heating: “A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. In fact, as soon as your house drops below its normal temperature, it will lose energy to the surrounding environment more slowly.”
Programmable and Smart Thermostats
Despite the benefits of changing your thermostat every time you leave for work, it’s easy to overlook in the rush of getting ready and on your way. This is one advantage of programmable and smart thermostats. You can set your thermostat to automatically shift to a different temperature across your typical work hours. And with a smart thermostat, you can adjust the temperature (or the programming schedule) remotely. This is especially helpful if you’ve neglected to adjust the setting before going on a long trip.
Always Remember the Pets
If you have a pet, think about their comfort too. Cats and dogs with dense fur won’t be comfy with high temperatures. And pets with short fur might not be comfortable with cold temperatures. The same goes for tropical birds, fish and reptiles. Because temperature tolerances vary universally by breed and species, look them up for your pets.
More Perks of Adjusting Your Thermostat for When You’re Away
- Carbon emissions - The more often you use your heating and air conditioning, the more carbon emissions you produce. Conserving energy minimizes air pollution and greenhouse gasses.
- HVAC Longevity - Overusing your heating and cooling can cut its life expectancy and cause increased maintenance to be needed. It also means the air filter can clog up more quickly, making your indoor air quality worse.
If you have any questions about your air conditioner settings, or if you require HVAC repair or maintenance, contact the specialists at Falso Service Experts, a big company with hometown heart. We’re enthusiastic about making the world a comfortable place to live. Whether we’re warming, cooling or making the water flow, we have a lot of pride in keeping our customers and communities comfy and content.
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