Summer break is coming to an end and the kiddos will soon be back in school (a bittersweet feeling, we get it).
But whatever back-to-school season means to you, we have an energy-saving tip that can save you up to 10% on your monthly electricity bills.
Here’s the tip: While the kids are at school during the day, and you’re at work, set your thermostat back 7° to 10° from your normal temperature.
Let’s look at how this tip saves you money...
By adjusting the thermostat temperature 7° to 10° from where you normally set it, your HVAC system (AC + furnace) doesn’t have to run as long, which lowers how much energy it uses. And the less energy your HVAC system consumes, the lower your energy bill will be.
How you adjust your thermostat depends on the season:
So, how much will you save on your utility bills by adjusting your thermostat this way?
Well according to Energy.gov, you can save up to 10% per year by turning your thermostat back 7° to 10° for 8 hours per day.
So basically, for every 1° you raise/lower your thermostat, you’re more or less saving up to 1% on your energy bill.
Let’s look at how your school-day schedule might look during the summer months:
Now, say that your normal temperature while you’re at home is 77°. Based on that schedule, this is how you could set your thermostat:
Note: During the winter months, you can just do the opposite—lower your thermostat 7° to 10° during the day while the you and the kids are away.
The only problem is that you’ll have to remember to set your thermostat manually each time you leave/arrive, unless you have a programmable thermostat...
A programmable thermostat allows you to program your weekly schedule so you don’t have to adjust your thermostat every time you leave the house or come home.
Plus, since your daily schedule is automated, you don’t ever have to wait the 20–30 minutes it takes your HVAC to cool/heat your home back to your desired temperature.
Let’s look at how a programmable thermostat would work with your hypothetical summer school-day schedule:
We’ll provide you with programmable thermostat recommendations that work with your current HVAC system.
Learn more about programmable thermostats work by visiting our programmable thermostat service page or by reading the related articles below: