Many homeowners will adjust their home’s thermostat when they aren’t home, reducing air conditioning or heating as necessary, in a hope of saving money. A homeowner in Nashua recently shared with us his belief that the energy for the system to regain the desired temperature uses up any energy, and financial, savings. So what is the truth?
Adjusting the thermostat does save a lot of money. A good general rule of thumb is any time that you are leaving the home for eight hours or more, adjust the setting five degrees (warmer in the summer, and cooler in the winter). This small change to your daily routine can save you 5-15% in your energy costs.
If you are leaving for an hour or less, you can see savings by adjusting the thermostat. However, micromanaging the thermostat too much can actually be detrimental to this energy savings. The system will have to constantly stop and start, which can cause it to run inefficiently, using up more energy.
Between work, school and activities, most households are on a regular schedule the majority of the year. This makes it easy to identify those large chunks of time when the house will be empty. Adjusting the thermostat during these times is a great way to save energy, and reduce your bills.
Of course, coming home to a house that it too hot or too cold can be unpleasant. This is where programmable thermostats come in. Knowing your family’s schedule, the air conditioning or heating can be programmed to kick in shortly before everyone arrives home to a comfortable temperature.
Let us help you stay in cool this summer and warm this winter. Contact us today for your heating and air conditioning needs (833) 222-4667
The post Does Adjusting the Thermostat Up and Down Really Save You Money? appeared first on Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. – Nashua, NH.
