According to the calendar, there are still several weeks of winter remaining before spring finally arrives. That being said, you are likely going to be running your furnace or boiler during this time to keep your home comfortable and warm. You want your home to be cozy, but do you know what the optimal temperatures are to keep your thermostat set at while you are gone for the day or sleeping at night?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you should keep your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the day if you will be gone for more than 4 hours. Additionally, you should be keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit at night while you are sleeping. When you turn your thermostat down 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours, you could potentially save 5%-15% annually on your monthly heating bills.
While summer is still far away, the same can be said for when the temperatures are hot outside. By setting your thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and at night when you are sleeping, you could cut your energy use down and potentially save money on your annual cooling costs.
Programmable Thermostats
Setting your thermostat during the day and at night could be made easier with the use of a programmable thermostat. There are many different brands available on the market today, and this handy device will allow you to set the temperature for the day and night with just a few adjustments to the settings. This could potentially help to save you time each morning before you walk out the door, and it will automatically adjust in case you forget to set it before you leave.
These thermostats are specially-designed to be able to store and repeat multiple daily settings. With many models, you are able to store up to 6 different temperature settings for each day. Over time, the use of a programmable thermostat could potentially help you to cut down on your heating and cooling costs with the proper adjustments – and may even help to make your home more comfortable all year long!