An upgraded thermostat can keep temps consistent
Your thermostat setting is dictated primarily by your comfort level in your home. Cold days prompt you to turn it up and warm days have you lowering the temperature for more AC. A consistent setting all year round, however, will maximize your family’s comfort and save you money.
The key is to find your family’s comfort level within the ideal range of temperatures as the seasons change. In cold months, 68 degrees Fahrenheit will keep most people comfortable, with a range up to 74 depending on your family’s composition and lifestyle. In warm months, 73 to 78 degrees is ideal, with 75 degrees being the average optimum temperature. What can be difficult is training family members to leave the thermostat alone.
Will an upgrade help you?
Traditional manual or digital thermostats can be a temptation when the temperature in your home feels off. It helps to understand factors that can impact your comfort.
- Insulation – A well-insulated house will hold your set temperature and keep them consistent throughout. Check ceiling and wall insulation, weather stripping around windows, and door sweeps.
- Humidity – Moist air will feel warmer in the winter, while higher humidity in the summer will make cool air feel uncomfortable. Use a humidifier on your furnace in the winter and run a dehumidifier in damp areas during the summer months.
- Ventilation – Ceilings fans move air, so a medium speed on warm days will keep cool air circulating in the summer. Reverse the direction and run your fans on low speeds in the winter to push heat down and keep your living areas warmer.
Along with these factors, upgrading to an advanced thermostat can make a big difference in efficiently heating or cooling your home. Options include a programmable thermostat or the more advanced smart thermostat.
Programmable thermostats
Like its name implies, a programmable thermostat allows you to set times when you want the temperature in your home to increase or decrease. Based on the routine of your family, you can ensure your home is at the optimum comfort level when you and/or family members are there, keeping temps at an energy saving level when no one is home.
Smart thermostats
This more advanced technology is like a programmable thermostat on steroids. Using your Wi-Fi, you can program and adjust your thermostat from anywhere using your smart phone or tablet. You can arrange alerts, access reports and input climate control preferences so that your thermostat works for you.
Additional savings with zone heating and cooling
Statistics show that homeowners reduce their heating bills an average of 1% to 3% for every degree by which they lower their thermostat. That can add up to big savings if you achieve the consistency provided by a programmable or smart thermostat.
You can save even more by incorporating one of these with a zone temperature control system. These systems of sensors divide your home into zones. Your thermostat is programmed to read these sensors and keep the sections of your home at temps you choose, helping to avoid wasting energy heating or cooling an area you do not use.
Resisting the temptation to adjust your thermostat when you are feeling uncomfortable can be a challenge for everyone in your family. Talk to the pros at Lew’s Reliable for more information about heating and cooling options that can save you money all year.
