Winter weather can make one freeze. With polar vortexes and snowfall, one might feel the need to turn up the thermostat a few degrees. But cranking up the heat will raise the utility bill, even if it’s only by a few degrees Fahrenheit. Chapman, the man for all seasons has advice regarding the right thermostat setting for every season so the bills stay low and the house stays comfortable.
Recommended Thermostat Settings In The Winter
Although the wind chill might make it frigid outside, it shouldn’t be cold inside the house. Just because it’s in the single digits, doesn’t mean one needs to crank the heat in the house. The Department of Energy recommends setting the thermostat to 68℉ during the winter months. This keeps the home warm enough during the coldest months, preventing issues like freezing pipes.
If one sets the thermostat to 68°F and finds that the house is still freezing, resist turning up the heat. For every one degree, one adjusts the temperature, it could add up to a 1% change in the heating bill. This goes for turning the thermostat up or down. So if the house is set above 68°F, lower the temperature, and see how much energy savings it creates.
If it seems like the furnace is constantly running and the house isn’t getting any warmer, then there might be a problem with the furnace. Call Chapman for a furnace cleaning or inspection. Maintaining the furnace regularly will keep it running efficiently all winter long and ensure one always has heat when one needs it.
Temperature Set In The Summer
Summers in Indiana can be brutally hot. But like the heat, one doesn’t want to crank the air conditioner to try to cool the house down faster. This just wastes energy and puts extra stress on the appliances. The ideal temperature to set the thermostat in the summer is 78°F. Schedule maintenance with Chapman to prevent future repairs and increase the lifespan of the air conditioner
It never hurts to turn off the air conditioner now and again and open the windows to let the breeze cool the house. This is a great idea when temperatures are in the low to mid-80s and the thermostat would be close to the temperature outside anyway.
In the spring, before temperatures get really hot, test the air conditioner to make sure it’s running properly. Make sure to schedule the regular spring maintenance with Chapman, too. This will prevent future repairs and increase the lifespan of the air conditioner.
Maintaining A Comfortable Temperature At Home
Now that one knows what temperature to set the thermostat in both the winter and summer, one is probably looking for tips to save money on the energy bill while staying comfortable. The best thing one can do is have a smart or programmable thermostat installed.
With a programmable thermostat, one can set temperature schedules throughout the day. The thermostat can automatically turn up the heat when getting up in the morning and turn it down in the afternoon when at work, based on the temperatures one presets. Even these little adjustments throughout the day can save the big bucks on that utility bill. Did one forget to turn the heat down before one left for work? New smart thermostats are another option that can be controlled with a cell phone or digital assistant.
Although 68°F might not be ideal for all the members of the house, one can still keep warm by wearing extra layers of clothes, opening blinds, and curtains and letting the sun heat rooms during the day, and closing off vents in unused rooms. If the house has drafty windows, apply shrink-to-fit plastic wrap around them to keep the warm air from escaping the house.