Every winter, Central Indiana homeowners search for ways to cut heating costs and lower energy bills across the cold season. There are many things you can do to save money, from investing in home improvement projects to changing household habits. Are you using thermostat settings to save money, too? Star Heating & Cooling shares how you can set your thermostat to reduce your heating expenses this winter and pay less!
Save Money with Your Thermostat
There are many ways homeowners can use thermostat settings to lower their heating costs across the winter season. With the right temperature settings, you can keep your home comfortable and save money without a significant cut to noticeable heat!
1. Program Your Thermostat Correctly
Programmable thermostats and smart thermostats alike allow users to make several temperature adjustments throughout the day, depending on the model. Are you currently using your thermostat to the best of its abilities? Many homeowners aren’t, and operating errors have unfortunately led some people to believe that thermostats aren’t a helpful tool for reducing energy consumption at home.
Before you progress further and try different thermostat settings, make sure you are taking advantage of your thermostat’s full capabilities. Adjust temperature schedules for heat settings and program changes to account for any adjustments in your household’s daily routine. Make sure your smart or programmable thermostat isn’t overriding its programmed temperature adjustments with an activated HOLD or VACATION feature.
2. Choose Energy Efficient Setpoints
Using energy-efficient thermostat settings will keep your home at a temperature known to be efficient so your family can still enjoy a comfortable indoor climate while you cut dollars off your energy bill. For the winter months, an occupied temperature of 68 degrees is recommended.
If you find this setting to be too cool for comfort, that’s ok – you can still lower the temperature a few degrees below your normal comfortable thermostat setting to save energy and money. Turning down your thermostat can help you lower heating bills by as much as one percent per degree of your setback!
Find the balance between comfort and energy savings by making a gradual change. Lower your thermostat by one degree each day when the home is occupied. Keep going lower until you reach the lowest point that you can enjoy without sacrificing comfort.
3. Schedule Setback Periods
The best times to use new thermostat settings are when no one is home or everyone is asleep! Setting the indoor temperature seven to ten degrees below the normal temperature for 8 hours or more each day can reduce heating and cooling costs by as much as 10 percent. Ideal times to reduce heating temperatures are when the family is out for the day as well as during sleeping hours.
If a room feels too cold while you sleep, try adding layers to your body and bed before turning up the programmable or smart device temperature. It’s ok to go even lower if you like, but be sure to not reduce temperatures beyond 55 degrees or turn your thermostat and HVAC system off completely to prevent the risk of frozen pipes.
Thermostat Installation in Central Indiana
Changing your thermostat’s settings is much easier when you have a programmable or smart thermostat installed at home! Upgrade your old, inefficient thermostat and gain better control of home comfort as well as a powerful tool that can help you lower heating costs this season. Contact Star Heating & Cooling today for more information on thermostat installation.