How to Save Energy by Adjusting Your Thermostat
The way you set and adjust your thermostat affects your Dallas, Texas, home’s utility costs, your indoor air quality, your heating, and air conditioning system’s life, and your comfort.
Fortunately, you can save energy, reduce pollution, and help the environment by adjusting your thermostat, avoiding last-minute changes, using a programmable thermostat, and watching for problems.
Adjusting Your Thermostat
When you leave for work, turn the temperature setting on your thermostat up in summer or down in winter. That way, you won’t waste energy cooling or heating an empty home, and you can switch your thermostat back to a more comfortable temperature when you return. You can also change your HVAC system’s temperature setting for sleeping. Just use more blankets in winter or turn on a ceiling fan or a portable fan in summer.
For even more savings, you can use a system with zoning. Some have dampers for your ductwork to direct conditioned air where you need it, and others use ductless systems with more than one indoor unit. They have multiple thermostats, and you can use them to set each area or zone in your house to a different temperature. Even while you’re home, you won’t have to heat or cool unoccupied zones.
However, you shouldn’t turn your HVAC system off completely especially in summer. Turning the temperature up and letting your unit work occasionally will filter and dehumidify your home’s air. You can prevent damage to your walls, ceilings, and floors from biological growth and keep contaminants like dirt, dust, and pollen from lowering your system’s efficiency.
Avoiding Last-Minute Changes
Every time your HVAC system comes on or shuts off, it causes a little more wear. To extend your unit’s life, you should try not to make a lot of temperature changes. Whether you set most air conditioners or furnaces to 65 or 75 degrees, they work at the same speed. Setting your system at a temperature that’s too low or high will just keep it on longer and make some family members uncomfortable. You’ll waste energy, and you’ll have to shut it off or reset it when you start feeling too cold or too hot.
Instead, make smaller changes and avoid adjusting your thermostat when possible. You can stay comfortable in winter weather with extra blankets and fuzzy bathrobes, and you can make your indoor air feel cooler with a dehumidifier in summer.
Using a Programmable Thermostat
A programmable thermostat will adjust your temperature settings automatically. That way, you won’t have to remember to change them manually. For easy zoning, many models will let you control multiple thermostats from a central console, from a remote, or from your computer or phone. A smart thermostat can connect to motion sensors, humidity or indoor air quality monitors, and other accessories and then make adjustments based on your routine and the current weather.
Watching for Problems
Adjusting your thermostat won’t help you save energy if you have another issue that wastes power, like leaks or gaps in your insulation, a refrigerant leak, or dirty ductwork. Your thermostat could malfunction, as well. If it’s not near the center of your home or if it’s near a window that gets lots of suns, it may not be able to read the temperature accurately. A problem with your wiring could cause your heater or air conditioner to stay on when the fan turns off, or both units could start working at once.
If you notice any warm or cold areas in your home, unpleasant smells, or strange noises, have your HVAC system checked by a professional. That way, you can find and fix any issues. After you reduce your power bill to a more normal level, you can save even more by adjusting your heating and cooling habits.
At Advanced Home Comfort we can help you with all your heating, air conditioning, and indoor air quality needs. We can also help you add insulation and a variety of equipment to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Contact us anytime for help from our courteous, friendly, and knowledgeable technicians.
