Many homeowners find it difficult to balance comfort and energy savings, especially when two or more occupants disagree on the temperature settings. So what should thermostats be set at in summer and winter? Use this guide as a starting point or reference as to what thermostats should be set at in summer and winter, and make adjustments according to your desired energy savings and comfort.
Best thermostat settings for summer
For balancing comfort and energy savings, a summer thermostat setting of 78 degrees is used by the U.S. Department of Energy as a reference point. If you are accustomed to maintaining summer thermostat temperatures lower than 78 degrees, you stand to save a substantial amount of electricity in your North Texas home, and reduce the cooling load placed on your air conditioner.
Keep in mind that for each degree you turn up your thermostat (cooling months) for eight consecutive hours, you reduce energy consumption by approximately one percent. That may not seem significant, but if you turn up the temperature even five degrees during working and sleeping hours, you would trim about 8 to 10 percent from your cooling bill.
Best thermostat settings for winter
Energy.gov recommends a thermostat setting of 68 degrees during the heating months. This may seem a little too chilly for some homeowners, especially when the relative humidity drops and indoor air feels dry and cold. If this is the case for your home, one easy solution for staying comfortable without breaking the bank to heat your home is utilizing ceiling fans.
Ceiling fans help circulate air more evenly and comfortably during the winter season, as well as in the summer season. Your fan should have a switch to change the rotation direction of the blades. The goal is to pull air up to the ceiling to displace heated air, which naturally rises, to recirculate to the lower areas of the living spaces so you may enjoy the warm air you’re paying to heat.
If you have any questions about what should thermostats be set at in summer and winter, contact Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating in North Texas for more information.
