Have you ever been shocked at the cost of your bills after the heating or cooling season starts? You’re not alone—a lot of our customers say that their energy costs are the most important factor when running their heating and cooling system. There are some simple ways to determine the best temperature for your thermostat—Outstanding Heating & Cooling is here to help you find it and provide thermostat installation for better energy efficiency!
Optimizing Your Temperature Settings
Here’s a simple rule of thumb: the more the temperature INSIDE your home differs from the temperature OUTSIDE your home, the higher your bill will be. This goes for heating and cooling systems, including furnaces, air conditioners, and heat pump systems.
An example for you: it’s 90 degrees outside and your house is sweltering hot. You immediately reach for the thermostat and set it to 70 degrees. Your HVAC system needs to work harder to lower the temperature to 70 than it would to lower the temperature to 74. It’s simple math and an easy way to understand how temperatures directly impact the workload of your air conditioner.
It works the same for your furnace. If it’s 20 degrees outside and you want to heat your home to 75 degrees instead of 68 degrees, your heating system needs to work harder (it uses more energy) to reach your desired temperature. So basically, the more energy your system uses to reach your desired temperatures, the higher your bills will be.
Let’s go over some tips to help you use the best temperatures for your family – and your wallet.
1. Experiment With Temperatures Until Your Family Is Comfortable
If you’re ready to make moves to maximize your savings on your energy bill, you’re in the right place. The US Department of Energy recommends 78 degrees as the optimal temperature for your thermostat in the cooling season. For some people, this might seem like a big jump. But we have good news! We can help you acclimate your family to higher temperatures.
Research by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has found that people are typically most comfortable at temperatures of 73-79 degrees and don’t notice temperature changes of up to 4 degrees.
Over the course of a few days or weeks, change the temperature on your thermostat by one degree. Give the people in your home time to acclimate to the temperature change until everyone is comfortable. Keep going until your family members start to feel discomfort. This will signal that you are nearing the optimal temperature for your family AND your thermostat.
See if everyone can tolerate these temperatures in typical seasonal clothing—if so, you’ve found your sweet spot! Stay at these temperatures (or better yet, program your thermostat to this temperature!) to see maximum energy savings on your bill.
2. Purchase and Use a New Programmable Thermostat
One of the most inexpensive – and valuable – investments you can make into your HVAC system is a new programmable thermostat. These thermostats give you the capability to set schedules for your family. These schedules help you to maximize your energy savings. Remembering to adjust the temperatures when you’re away and in bed can be hard to do. A programmable thermostat takes care of this for you.
For example, if the US Department of Energy recommendation of 78 degrees is just too hot for you and your family, you can set it to 78 while you’re away and then have it make system adjustments just before you arrive home. This will mean your HVAC system isn’t working hard to keep your home cooled to your optimal temperature while you’re away, which would be a waste of energy.
If you’re looking for an extra level of convenience and efficiency, upgrading your existing thermostat to a smart thermostat is a great next step. Smart thermostats take the concept of a programmable thermostat even further by learning your schedule and preferences over time. They can automatically adjust the temperature based on when you’re home or away and even control your HVAC system remotely via a smartphone app.
If you’re ready to optimize your home’s temperature and save more energy, let us help you explore programmable and smart thermostat options that best suit your needs.
3. Saving on Energy Costs While You’re Away or in Bed
Keeping in line with the above tip, you can set your thermostat for small changes in temperature to save money on your bills. While everyone is asleep or away at school or work, your system shouldn’t have to work so hard to keep the temperatures down (or up in the winter).
According to research by the National Institute of Health, changing your thermostat by 7-10 degrees while you’re away or in bed can save up to 10% on your energy bills monthly. Changing it by only this small amount will also ensure your system doesn’t have to work too hard to adjust the temperatures when you wake up or get home.
4. Figure Out Your Exact Savings
Sometimes, seeing the numbers helps us make final decisions. There is a simple estimate you can do to figure out how much of a difference your temperature changes make on your monthly bill. Every degree you raise or lower your thermostat is estimated to save you 3%-5% on HVAC costs.
For example, if your temperature is set at 71 degrees in the summer and you choose to raise your indoor temps by 4 degrees, you will save about $30/month on your HVAC costs. This could pay for a Friday night pizza delivery!
Ready to Upgrade Your Thermostat?
Upgrading your thermostat is a quick and easy way to enhance your home’s comfort and energy efficiency. At Outstanding Heating & Cooling, we make the thermostat installation process smooth and hassle-free. Here’s how it works:
- Consultation and Recommendation: We start by discussing your needs and preferences to determine the best thermostat for your home. Whether you’re looking for a smart thermostat or a more advanced programmable model, we’ll recommend the right option based on your HVAC system and lifestyle.
- Scheduling the Installation: Once you’ve selected your thermostat, we’ll schedule a convenient time for installation. Our team will arrive promptly and be ready to get the job done with minimal disruption to your day.
- Professional Installation: Our experienced technicians will remove your old thermostat and carefully install the new one. We make sure the thermostat wiring is done according to the wiring diagram and connect it to your HVAC system wiring through the wall cavity. We’ll also set up any necessary configurations so your thermostat works perfectly from the start.
- Testing and Calibration: After thermostat installation, we test the thermostat to make sure everything is working as it should. We’ll calibrate it to your preferred settings and ensure that it’s optimizing your home’s temperature efficiently.
- Walkthrough and Support: Finally, we’ll walk you through how to use your new thermostat, explaining all the features and answering any questions you may have. If you need any additional support or guidance, we’re always here to help.
Stay Comfortable, Save Energy, Spend Less
No matter what decision you make, having this information makes it easier to make informed decisions when it comes to your energy bills and HVAC equipment. The team at Outstanding Heating & Cooling prides itself on its decades of experience in the HVAC industry.
We are well-informed and able to help you make the best decisions when it comes to your home comfort. Let us know where you are wanting to make changes, and we can perform thermostat installation and make other recommendations based on your goals and budget! Contact us here!
