Thermostat Operation The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F to 70°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.
Did you know you can save up to 10% a year on your heating and cooling expenses by simply setting your thermostat back 7° to 10°F for 8 hours each day. * That means you can adjust your thermostat before leaving for work and before bed each day and potentially see real savings on your electricity bill.
In the winter, set your thermostat to 68 degrees or the lowest comfortable temperature. In warmer months, set it to 78 degrees or higher. It's a no-cost option to reduce energy expenses. At night or when you're going to be away from home for an extended period, adjust the thermostat a few more degrees.
it is much more efficient to just leave it at the same temperature all day. My electric company was promoting having people install thermostats so they could do just that, so I tried it, and my bill went up almost 50%.
For every one degree you go up in temperature, you're reducing your energy usage by about 1%. "The difference between 72 to 74 might be very impactful to your bill, without really making you any more uncomfortable," said Dave Schrader with NRG.
Energy.gov suggests that 68 degrees is a good room temperature while you're awake at home but recommends lowering it while you're asleep or away. Lowering your thermostat 7-10 degrees for eight hours a day can reduce your annual heating expenses by as much as 10 percent.
Best AC Temperature Settings While You Are Home
As you consider the most comfortable room temperature for your lifestyle and family, keep in mind that for each degree that you set your thermostat above 72 degrees, you can save up to 3% on your energy bill.
What's the recommended thermostat setting for saving money? The higher you set your thermostat in the summer and the lower you set it in the winter, the more money you'll save. That said, setting your air conditioner to 78° F and your heater to 68° F is generally a good compromise.
If the temperature is set to 74°F but the thermometer shows 78°F, you will have to recalibrate the thermostat to account for this 4-degree deviation. Even with older AC units or furnaces, you might have to recalibrate your thermostat from time to time.
Don't set your thermostat too low
“You have to keep it really low to really get into a health concern," he said. "What you want to do is keep it at a reasonable temperature that's not chilly.” The World Health Organization recommends keeping indoor temperatures between 64 and 75 degrees for healthy people.
The trick is to buy energy-efficient appliances. Everything from your fridge to your TV and your washing machine can make a huge difference to your electricity bills. When you purchase energy-efficient appliances, you can save up to 90% on your energy costs.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends setting your thermostat no lower than 64 degrees (F) in the Winter months while people are in the home. If there are infants or elderly individuals, they recommend keeping the temperature at 70 degrees at a minimum.
Lower the Thermostat
According to the Department of Energy, turning down the thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees for up to 8 hours can help you save up to 10% on your annual energy bill. 6 Also, turn the heating down to the lowest bearable level at night, while you're out at work, or when you're on vacation.
Our recommendation: When you head to work or vacation and want to lower your temperature setting, we would not recommend going below 50 degrees F. This strikes a good balance between conserving energy while preventing problems such as: Frozen indoor pipes. Damage from condensation on furnishings and electronics.
A range of 68-70 is the best setting in winter if you want to save money because your furnace or heat pump doesn't have to work as hard as it does to reach a higher set temperature. The DOE says the smaller the difference is between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the more you can save.
If your living areas frequently feel too hot or too cool and you're in the habit of changing the thermostat temperature settings to compensate, you're adding to the equipment's workload, wasting energy, and it's costing you more money.
For many of us, 70 degrees is the ideal indoor temperature, but when it is close to 100 degrees outside, your AC unit will be working quite hard to meet these expectations. Consider setting your thermostat at 75 degrees to 80 degrees in your home if the outside temperature is approaching triple digits.
During a heatwave, we recommend that you don't lower the AC's setting below 68°F. This is already quite chilly for most people, and many would consider it too cold. An air conditioner set this low risk of its coil freezing—and that's bad news because it indicates that the air conditioner is overworked.
Another problem that can cause your house to be hotter than what you've set the thermostat to is if your home's HVAC system isn't sized properly. An HVAC system that's too large for your house will cool your home unevenly. It will only cool some rooms off and then shut off versus cooling down the entire house.
Thermostat Operation
The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F to 70°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends 78° as the best temperature setting for your air conditioner during the daytime. And 82° for sleeping in the summer.
The best room temperature for sleep is approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius). This may vary by a few degrees from person to person, but most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius) for the most comfortable sleep.
Finding the right AC temperature for your electricity bill is a balancing act. By setting it around 78°F and considering external factors, you can enjoy comfort and save on energy costs simultaneously. Remember, small adjustments can lead to significant savings over time.
The best way to save money is by combining both. The “run” feature lets you preset the temperature when you're not home to prevent wasting money on cooling or heating an empty home. Meanwhile, the “hold” button lets you change the room's temperature without changing your energy-saving, preset schedule.
The Ideal AC Temperature
Between 74-77 degrees F (23-25 degrees C). This will limit the strain on your cooling system, keep energy bills reasonable, and help prevent the coils from freezing.