Changing Thermostat Temperature Changes Your Energy Efficiency

You’re hot. You adjust the thermostat to control the inside temperature. You’re cold. Back to the thermostat you go, trying to make yourself more comfortable. 

Changing your thermostat impacts the inside temperature. Changing your thermostat also impacts your energy efficiency. According to the EPA, you can save as much as 10 percent on your heating and cooling bills simply by adjusting your inside temperatures during the day from its normal settings. 

Why programmable thermostats work

Humans are creatures of habit. If you evaluate your actions each day, you’ll find a variety of patterns. Chances are you:

• Rise at the same time each day
  
• Perform similar activities at the same time
  
• Return home from work or school at the same time
  
• Head to bed at a certain hour
  

Without a programmable thermostat, you might forget to adjust the temperature based on your actions. If you rise and bring the temperature up to 70 degrees while you get ready, will you remember to lower it while you’re away for 8 hours at work?

All of that is taken care of for you with a programmable thermostat. You can choose multiple settings each day, and make adjustments for your weekend behavior. 

This ensures your temperatures adjust to increase maximum savings. Why heat a home that sits empty most of the day? 

The myth of the harder working furnace

It’s a myth that a furnace has to work harder to bring a home back up to temperature rather than just leaving the temperature at one setting all day. A furnace is designed to operate – turn on and off based on the temperature inside the home. 

What really is impacted is the energy savings. If it’s 32 degrees outside, and you have the temperature set for 70 degrees inside, the potential for heated air to escape between cracks and leaks is greater because of this divide. The furnace works hard to keep the inside air temperature at 70 degrees. 

By lowering it to 65, for example, during the time you’re away, it closes the gap between the inside and outside air. That means your furnace won’t have to operate as much to keep the inside air at your desired temperature. That’s where your energy savings is created. 

Smart technology – more advancement

While a programmable thermostat gives you a chance to have several different settings per day, smart technology allows you to fully adjust the temperature from anywhere you have internet access. That means if you’re called into a late afternoon meeting, you can keep the temperature lower, longer. 

You can also access reports that will allow you to learn more about your own internal efficiency. Seeing it on paper can help you make better decisions about how you heat and cool your home. 

Are you ready for a new thermostat? Do you have questions about how efficient your home heating and cooling systems are? We’re here to help; give us a call today.