When the temperatures outside soar, it’s always nice to come inside to a cool, comfortable house. However, cooling down your home could mean a major increase in your energy bills over the summer, and you might start to wonder if it’s a better idea to just sweat it out these next few months.  This is why it’s important to figure out exactly what temperature settings will provide the most comfortable conditions for your family – without the need to dig too deep into your savings account this summer to pay for it.

What Thermostat Settings Equal Energy Efficiency for Your Home?

By making a few small tweaks to your thermostat settings and following a few other energy-efficient tips, everyone will stay calm, cool and collected on those hot, muggy days. Here’s how to ensure you and your family enjoy a comfortable living situation without breaking the bank this summer:

• Test some different temperatures. One general rule of thumb is that the closer the temperature the air on the inside is to the temperature outside, the more money you’ll save on your energy bills. However, that temperature may not be ideal for cooling down your home, so do some testing and figure out what temperature is most comfortable for you. Keep in mind that the recommended temperature for your home while no one is there is 78 degrees. Energy.gov reports that turning your thermostat lower by 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours per day will help you see an energy usage reduction of 5 to 15 percent per year on your bills.
• Properly program your thermostat. Programmable thermostats certainly play a major role in improving the energy efficiency of your home. Take into account the times of day when no one is home and when you’re all sleeping and program the temperatures accordingly. Don’t forget, allow for a 30 minute grace period for your system to kick on before everyone gets home.
• Plan ahead for vacations. Going out of town? There’s no need to keep your home as cool as it is when you’re all there. Even if you have pets you’ve left behind, you can leave the thermostat set to 78 degrees and program it to run only during the hottest parts of the day.
• Keep cool air from escaping. If you think 78 degrees seems high, remember there are a few things you can do to make your air conditioning more effective. For instance, keep the blinds drawn to prevent the sun’s rays from shining in and heating up your home. Additionally, make sure your windows and doors don’t allow the cool air to escape by installing weather-stripping.
• Install ceiling fans to increase cooling efficiency. If you already have ceiling fans in your home, summer is definitely the time to put them to use. Ceiling fans increase the cooling efficiency of your air conditioning system by keeping that cool air circulating.
• Consider upgrading your thermostat. If your home doesn’t currently have a programmable thermostat, it’s time to consider an upgrade to improve the energy efficiency of your home during the months your system works hardest. You can even go high tech and choose a smart thermostat, which allows you to control the temperature apart from the programmed settings by using a tablet, smartphone or computer.

Need help installing or troubleshooting your programmable thermostat this summer? The professionals at Efficient Heating and Cooling are ready to help! If you’re in the greater Cleveland area, contact our team today! Or, give us a call at 216-663-6462.