Dogs and cats are usually most comfortable above 64 degrees. Lastly, keep house safety in mind. The most common concern for homeowners is frozen pipes. If the weather is going to be below freezing while you are away, you should not set the house temperature below 55 degrees. Programmable thermostats allow you to set a schedule of temperatures based on the time of day and day of the week. You can always do a temporary override if your schedule changes. Not only can you program them, they also can be controlled remotely and have automatic features that can help you manage your thermostat temperature throughout the winter.
For example, some use motion detection to sense when you are away and will stop heating the house. They have an adjustable minimum threshold, however, so your home does not get too cold. Not to mention, some utility companies offer rebates for qualified thermostats.
According to the Department of Energy , setting your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature, which is typically 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, helps slow down heat loss for homes with a regular furnace or baseboard heating system. Dialing down the thermostat too much can make a heat pump less efficient. Plus, everyone has a different comfort zone. If air flow near the thermostat is blocked by furniture, it also may not run effectively.
The best place to locate a thermostat is on an interior wall that experiences the natural air flow in the home. Than it Saves. Unless you work from home, turning the thermostat down during the workday can mean higher savings on your energy bill. For many furry pets, cooler temperatures are a welcome respite. Another ideal time to lower the indoor temperature is while you sleep. Medical experts know that our body temperature drops at night. When it is too cold or hot indoors at night, our internal body temps get out of whack and can lead to more inconsistent sleep.
Heading away from home to someplace warm this winter? Houseplants need an indoor temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit to stay alive. The winter thermostat setting should at minimum be between degrees to keep your appliances and pipes from freezing. The worst way to end a vacation or wake up one morning is to a frozen dishwasher or a flooded basement. The same can be said for any vacation properties that go unoccupied in winter, or a rental property with no winter tenants. You will still want to keep some heat flowing through the home to protect from property damage.
Programmable thermostats or a smart thermostat, like the Nest Thermostat , can save money by helping reduce your heating costs throughout the year. You can program your temperature settings to the ones our Home Comfort Specialists have recommended here, and keep your thermostat on autopilot.
Here are a few other quick tips to help you lower utility bills while maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature that the entire family can enjoy. Once your family acclimates to the colder winter weather, lower the temperature in the home by one degree each week. Eventually, you all will become more comfortable with a lower thermostat setting and it will help reduce heating costs. Having a properly maintained furnace or heating system will ensure your family stays comfortable this winter, and proactively catches potential issues before the system breaks down.
Furnaces built today are as much as 15 percent more efficient and can produce the same, if not more heat, than older models.
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