Tips to save energy with your own thermostat.
Over the last few weeks, mother nature has blasted Waterloo Region with extreme temperatures and snow, even causing home pipes to freeze! Yikes! Due to the cold weather been asked a lot, “What temperature should I set my thermostat to in the winter?”
Homeowners ask us this every year, especially when temperatures start dropping. Unfortunately, answering this is not as simple as citing a specific temperature, as financial and energy usage concerns differ from one house to another.
However, we do have general recommendations for winter thermostat settings—set the thermostat to 16°C at night or when you are away. When you are home, most are comfortable at around 20 to 21°C.
Instead of focusing on a perfect number, you’ll benefit from establishing an energy-efficient winter heating strategy that’ll keep your home warm and energy bills reasonable. Here are some tips!
Thermostat Strategy
Every home has its temperature preference, but setting the thermostat to that temperature and never changing is NOT helpful to your energy bills.
- Set your thermostats at that desired high temperature.
- Once your family acclimates to the colder weather, lower the temperature in the home by half a degree each week for three or four weeks.
- This can reduce your home’s energy bill by 1% and you’ll probably never notice the temperature difference.
Invest in a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats simplify the chore of creating optimal temperature settings. When you install it, you can program your thermostats to deliver specific temperatures at set times of the day. The specified temperatures can then be changed and adjusted by using the accompanying smart-phone app. This allows homeowners to reset their home’s temperature from anywhere.
Fun fact: these preferences can be programmed for weeks or months in advance!
Optimal use of a smart thermostat enables homeowners to save as much as 15% on their heating bills, making this technology worth the initial investment.
Have questions about programmable thermostats? We have answers! Give Afterglow a call and we will help you: 519-747-7732.
Afterglow. Water, warmth, well-being.