Home and Garden: Your thermostat can save you money

Submitted by COMFORT SHIELD HVAC OF NORTH CAROLINA

For most people, the thermostat is a little box that sits on the wall that doesn’t get much attention — unless the house is too hot or too cold. But did you know that it can actually help save you money?

Here are a few ways you can use your thermostat to help lower your monthly energy bills:

Temperature: In the colder months, 68 degrees is the recommended setting that balances both cost efficiency and comfort. When folks are sleeping, setting it to 60 (or perhaps lower) for eight hours can help save you 5-15 percent per month on your energy bill.

The approach is similar in the warmer months. A setting of between 75 and 78 is recommended for the times when you’re home, and by bumping it up a few degrees when you’re not, you can save money.

By the way, according to energy.gov, the notion that furnaces and air conditioners work harder than normal to return a home to a comfortable temperature after a thermostat has been set back or turned up is a myth. It turns out that, when a house drops below its normal temperature in the winter, it loses energy to the surrounding environment more slowly. In the summer, the higher interior temperature slows the rate that heat enters the house.

Fan — On or Auto?: The burning thermostat question for some people is do I leave the fan on the on position, or on auto?" The answer is usually auto, simply because the system only moves air while the cooling/ heating function is running and shuts off when the desired temperature is reached.

The "on" setting means the fan runs continuously, up to about 200 extra hours a month, using more electricity and adding extra wear and tear on the system. In addition, the auto setting helps decrease humidity because it gives condensation a chance to drain from the system instead of sending it back into the home.

Manual or programmable?: Either works fine. It’s all in how you set it. It’s easier, of course, to be consistent with a programmable thermostat, because you can set it to vary depending on the time of day.

Make sure that everyone in your home knows how to properly set and use the thermostat. When you’re trying to make a plan to reduce your monthly bill, it’s good to have everyone on the same page.

Want to learn more? Call Comfort Shield HVAC of North Carolina at 919-588-8015.