You need central heating in our part of the country. But you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg to stay comfortable. It’s tough to find a compromise, especially if different members of the family have preferences on what the temperature should be throughout the home.
Finding the right temperature for comfort and energy savings is not an exact science. And it may not be easy at first if you’re used to cranking up the heat on a cold day. However, the changes you see in the long term will be well worth it.
The temperature to use when you’re at home
When you are at home, you should pick out an efficient temperature that won’t interfere with your family’s comfort. Need a good starting point? Experts often recommend keeping the temperature at about 68°F.
Most households, but not all, can still be comfortable with this temperature. However, with infants, elderly residents, and others, this temperature may be a bit too low. See if 70-72° works for you!
How to deal with a lower temperature
If you’re not used to these lower temperatures, it may take some getting used to. You can make it easier on yourself and your family by putting rugs on hard floors and keeping plenty of blankets near sitting areas.
You can also assist your heater by using natural heating sources. Properly insulate your home, seal cracks around windows and doors, and open up the blinds in the day to let sunlight heat the home. Overall, you’ll likely notice your bills dropping when you make these changes.
The temperature to use when you leave
When you leave the house for work, you can’t turn the heat off altogether. The pipes may freeze, and your home will be cold when you arrive! Instead, you should turn down the temperature about 5-10°. If you have a programmable thermostat, you can set it to return to bearable temperatures before you arrive home.
If you’re going on vacation, be sure you don’t set the thermostat temperature too low. Keeping it at 55°F or above will prevent your pipes from freezing.
Rules of thumb for the thermostat
A good programmable thermostat can be so useful for following these guidelines. If you don’t have a good programmable thermostat, it’s time for an upgrade. Better yet, go with a smart thermostat, so you can check and adjust temperatures from your smartphone even when you’re not home.
Otherwise, be sure to follow these tips.
- Don’t set the thermostat as high as it will go. It’s a common myth that this will heat the home faster, but a furnace only heats at one speed!
- Try not to make too many fluctuations throughout the day. A constant starting and stopping of your furnace, aside from its usual cycles, can really wear it down.
- Make sure everyone in the home understands that you have changed the way you use your thermostat. Ask everyone to do their best to keep with the efficient setting you’ve agreed upon!
Murphy’s Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning installs and services heating systems in Broomall, PA. Contact us today!
