How Your Programmable Thermostat Can Help You Keep Warm
Keeping your Cincinnati house warm during the fall and winter can be quite expensive, especially as energy prices continue to rise. By installing a programmable thermostat, however, you can keep your home comfortable throughout the heating season while reducing monthly heating bills. For the greatest amount of savings, use the following tips to choose the most efficient settings for your programmable thermostat.
Selecting the Regular Temperature
This is the temperature that the thermostat will maintain while you’re home, not at work or sleeping. It’s best to set the thermostat at the lowest temperature at which you’re comfortable. Each degree the thermostat is reduced can translate to 1 to 3 percent off your monthly heating bill.
Choosing an Away Temperature
When you’re working or away from the house for longer than a few hours, it’s best to lower the thermostat by 10 to 15 degrees. This shouldn’t harm your home, but it will reduce your heating bill significantly. By returning the thermostat to the regular temperature about an hour before you’re due to return, your home can be comfortable when you walk in the door.
Choosing an Overnight Temperature
At night while you and your family sleep, you can have the programmable thermostat lower the temperature by up to 15 degrees, starting at bedtime or an hour later, and then return the temperature back to normal about an hour before you wake. By the time you get out of bed, your home will have warmed back up.
The Results
Between the sleep and work reductions in temperature, you can save up to 20 percent off monthly heating bills without making your home uncomfortably or unnecessarily chilly. Tweak the program as needed to fit your schedule, and for the most savings, avoid adjusting the temperature manually afterward.
For more information about using a programmable thermostat with your heating system, talk to our team at Apollo Home Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We serve Cincinnati and the surrounding communities.
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