How should you be Setting Your Thermostat for Maximum Energy Savings?

The temperature inside your home can quickly rise to uncomfortable levels during spring leading into summer. Especially if you have a two-story home without zoning. This can result in a spike in your monthly energy bill if you rely on your air conditioner to maintain comfortable conditions in the home. However, you may not be aware that you can adjust the setting on your thermostat in a way that keeps the home comfortable without denting your monthly utility budget. Here are a few tips the experts at Gilmore Heating and Air suggest for keeping your energy costs affordable during the hotter months of the year.

Be Careful When Setting Your Thermostat

In an ideal world, we would all leave our thermostats set to keep the temperature within the 60’s, but in reality, that would send our energy bills soaring during the hotter months of the year. Keeping the cost of air conditioning affordable requires that we adjust the thermostat to as high a level as we can tolerate so that the HVAC system doesn’t have to do so much work to keep our homes cool. Gilmore HVAC technicians say that when the difference between the thermostat temperature setting and the outdoor temperature is minimal, the load imposed upon the AC will be lower, and then energy consumption will also be lower.

Gilmore, your trusted Sacramento heating and air contractors, we recommend that you set the thermostat to 78°F in the hot months of the year and then change to 68°F during winter. These settings will ensure that keeping your home comfortable doesn’t come at a high utility cost.

Adjusting to the Higher Thermostat Settings

It can take a while for you to get used to warmer indoor temperatures, but this is an undertaking that will make a positive impact upon your budget. To help you adjust more easily to this warmer temperature, the experts at Gilmore Heating and Air suggest that you avoid adjusting the temperature all at once.

Instead, the Sacramento HVAC company suggests that you increase the setting by a degree each day. This approach will give your body a chance to take the change in stride. Actually, you may not even notice that there is a slight increase in the indoor temperature!

Upgrade to a Programmable Thermostat

Another way to enjoy maximum energy savings is by installing a programmable thermostat. These devices make it possible for you to automate the process of adjusting the temperature setting at different times of the day.

For example, as you leave for work in the morning, the thermostat temperature can be adjusted upwards since no one will be at home to require cool conditions. The thermostat can then lower the temperature setting in the evening when you are about to return so that you get home when the indoor temperature is at your desired level.

Folsom AC service professionals assure you that the energy savings that you make when you install a programmable thermostat will quickly add up and you will notice a drop in your monthly bills.

Other Ways to Keep Your Home Cool

Gilmore Heating and Air always advise its clients to use other techniques alongside the air conditioner in order to keep homes cool. The Sacramento HVAC company recommends the following:

Ceiling Fans. Having a functional ceiling fan has the potential to make a room feel cooler by about 4 degrees. This can allow you to set the thermostat higher and save on energy without sacrificing comfort.

Block the Sun. The rays from the sun can quickly heat up your home if you don’t take steps to block them. Our Sacramento HVAC techs recommends blackout curtains and blinds to limit the sun’s rays that get into the home. This will keep the interior cooler and the AC will not have a lot of work to do to keep the home cool.

Open the Windows. At night, the temperature will drop significantly even on the hottest summer days. Take advantage of this drop and turn the AC off after opening the windows. Cool air will enter and you will sleep peacefully without leaving the AC on. In the morning, close all the windows and blackout curtains or blinds so that the sun’s rays are kept out during the day.

Install A Whole House Fan. If you have a two-story home without proper zoning then you may want to consider a whole house fan. Now is a great time to install one before the weather heats up.