Get the “Best Practice” Thermostat Settings for Year-Round Indoor Comfort and Energy Efficiency

Just Small Changes in How You Heat and Cool Your Home Can Save You Big Bucks

Did you know that just a few clicks of your thermostat can result in an almost 20% difference to your overall energy use in one month? With utility costs rising in a seemingly never-ending spiral, that translates into a major increase or a significant reduction in your utility bill, depending on how you set it. When you consider than most folks don’t even think twice about resetting the thermostat depending on how hot or cold they are at a given moment, it’s an easy way to save money just with a little pre-planning that your family probably won’t even notice.

Only Eight Hours a Day

According to the Federal Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, simply turning down your thermostat by 7-10 degrees for less than half of a 24-hour cycle will result in energy cost savings as much as 10% in one year. For those of us in the Southland, we can save even more by turning down the heat to 68 degrees for an 8-hour period during the day. While everyone is sleeping, consider turning it even lower at night. As the Energy.gov website explains, “the lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss. So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature.”

Consider a Programmable Thermostat

Want the ultimate in energy savings technology? Forget an HVAC overhaul. It starts with a handy programmable thermostat, one that allows you to set the temp lower or higher within your home on a regular schedule. Why spend big bucks heating or cooling your home when no one is there to enjoy it? With a programmable thermostat that allows you to “fix it and forget it,” you don’t have to rely upon family members or your own memory to save money day in and day out. Furthermore, these thermostats are inexpensive and easy to install. Make sure to place it in an appropriate location within your home, too. Avoid thermostat installation by a doorway or skylight, where it can give you an inaccurate reading and thus an unnecessary heating or air conditioning cycle. Do not place the thermostat in direct sunlight or by a window for the same reason.

Remember the Rebates

With energy conservation on everyone’s mind, remember there are also plenty of federal and state incentives for HVAC upgrades and retrofits available for both residential and commercial customers. Consult your local HVAC professional for more information.

Want to lower your energy bills? Call the HVAC specialists at Air-Tro today! (626) 357-3535.