When you travel during the winter months, it may be tempting to turn off your home’s heating system in an effort to save money. But doing so can be a big mistake, quickly leading to frozen pipes and huge problems when you return. Knowing this, a Hudson, NH homeowner recently asked about that “sweet spot” for where to set the temperature during the winter months while he and his family were traveling. He didn’t want to spend a lot of money, heating the empty home but also wanted to be sure that he didn’t leave himself vulnerable to the pipes freezing by letting the temperature drop too far.
Finding The Right Temperature Setting When You Are Away
The general rule of thumb for an empty house is to set the temperature four degrees lower than you normally would during the winter months. Setting it any lower than this will mean that your unit will have to work too hard to resume a comfortable temperature. If you have a gas furnace, this temperature can be set six to eight degrees lower.
Programmable Thermostats Save You Money Everyday
In the case of this Hudson homeowner, we suggested that instead of focusing on shaving money off of his heating bills while on vacation, he invest in a programmable thermostat. Now he can set the temperature to drop a few degrees overnight, warming back up by morning, and during the day when his house is empty. He has already seen dramatic savings thanks to the new thermostat and doesn’t have to worry about over-taxing his heating unit.
The post Going Out Of Town? Set Your Home’s Temperature to Save Money appeared first on Joyce Cooling & Heating Inc. – Nashua, NH.
