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Your heating and cooling system keeps your indoor environment comfortable throughout the day, but the wrong thermostat settings can lead to inefficient performance and higher energy bills. Thermostat settings for both comfort and energy savings are important to every homeowner.
One simple solution to managing your cooling and heating system is to adjust the thermostat temperature according to your habits, temperature preferences, and outside temperature. The closer your thermostat setting is to the outside temperature, the more you'll save.
What temperature setting will provide you with comfort as well as cost savings?
In this blog, we will discuss a recommended thermostat setting that provides adequate comfort for most people and is sure to save you money on utility bills.
Keeping your home at the right temperature in summer and winter can help you save money. Read on for the correct summer and winter thermostat temperature settings.
Homeowners often ask us, “What temperature should I set my thermostat during summer?” The ideal temperature settings for your house will depend on your preferences and goals — some people don’t mind spending more money to keep the house cooler, while others want to use a thermostat setting that maximizes efficiency to reduce energy bills.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the recommended thermostat setting for cooling energy efficiency is 78F. Setting a manual, smart, or programmable thermostat to 78F for cooling while the house is occupied provides the most savings for money and electricity. The Department also recommends setting your thermostat to 85 degrees for the hours the house is empty.
The thermostat setting for winter should be adjusted depending on whether you are at home or away during the day. You can conserve energy and keep your costs low by keeping your thermostat at 68 F when you are at home.
A difference of 10-15 degrees for 8 hours per day will help you see an energy usage reduction of 5-15% yearly on your energy bill.
Depending on your family's comfort preferences, one idea you may consider is accepting colder temperatures while you sleep at night. Many people find sleeping in a cooler environment comfortable while using winter blankets to regulate warmth.
It is very important to note that indoor humidity plays a vital role in the comfort of the air in your home.
Installing a programmable thermostat at home will let you run a scheduled heating and cooling program without manually changing your settings all throughout the day.
Many programmable thermostats can automatically adjust the heating temperature at home up to 6 or more times daily. You can also manually override the automatic settings at any time without disrupting the daily or weekly programming.
Programmable thermostats provide such ease of use that it's easy to set your home's temperature lower while you are sleeping or during the day at work.
During summer, raising your home's cooling temperature to over 78F for eight hours per day — a typical work day — can make a difference in your energy costs.
When programming your thermostat, consider your daily schedule. In the winter, do you like to sleep in a cold house? If you want your home to cool at night, set your thermostat lower for about an hour before going to bed, so the house cools down. Before waking up, set the thermostat so the heat comes on approximately 2 hours before getting up, so the house is nice and warm.
Also, consider adjusting the thermostat whenever your house is vacant for 4 or more hours every day. Adjusting temperatures by 5-8 degrees (down in winter, up in summer) can help you save energy if you are away from home for several hours.
Although 78 degrees Fahrenheit might still sound uncomfortably high, you can help your air conditioning unit provide better cooling for less energy by keeping warm air from getting into your home and cool air from escaping. Keep your home cool with a comfortable temperature throughout the summer season by:
High humidity can turn a garden-variety hot day into something much more challenging to endure because your body's sweat glands don't work as efficiently when there's a lot of moisture in the air. Sweat maintains body temperature by evaporating from your skin and carrying away body heat. When the air is dry, your sweat dissipates readily, and you feel more comfortable. However, as humidity rises, the increased water vapor in the air makes it more and more difficult for your sweat to evaporate, leaving you hotter even while you're drenched in moisture.
For example, an 80 F day feels like 80F when the relative humidity is 40 percent, but an 80 F day with 90 percent humidity has a "heat index" of 86F, meaning you need to take extra steps to cool down. Fortunately, air conditioners are extremely good at reducing the relative humidity, especially if your home is air sealed and has vapor barriers in the basement or crawl spaces. If you're counting on your AC to tackle the humidity, make sure your unit isn't too big for your home because the system will only need to run for a short time to cool the house and won't be on long enough to dehumidify. The EPA recommends an ideal humidity level of 30 to 50 percent during the summer to prevent mold and pests, which will also keep you more comfortable during the summer heat. A dehumidifier can help you achieve lower humidity if you want to save some of the burdens on your air conditioner.
Moreover, you can supplement your air conditioner with personal fans and ceiling fans, which blow air across your body to aid evaporation. While fans don't lower the temperature of a room, they make it feel cooler by taking a bite out of the humidity.
A home's comfort level is determined by who lives within it.
When assessing your settings, you'll want to consider, "What indoor temperature will provide personal comfort and cost efficiency?"
Some people like a warm home, and some prefer a cooler environment. If you haven't been managing your temperature settings until now, you might be surprised that changing your settings will provide you with the same relaxation you previously enjoyed in your home.
No matter what your preference is, adjusting your thermostat — either manually or with programmable thermostats (or smart thermostats!) — will ultimately help you save money!
Contact us today if you want to learn more about our services at Comfort Air. Contact us at 813 413-1726.
