What is the best way to deal with temperature settings for your heating system during the winter months in Jacksonville? Is it best to leave it set at one temperature or is it better to adjust it lower at night or during extended periods away from home? Maybe the better question to ask, “Is there a thermostat war going on in your home?”
There may be no correct answer to the question of where to set the thermostat in your home. Leave it at one setting or lower it when you are gone and at night–both could be correct. While energy can be saved by lowering the thermostat setting, it just might come down to a matter of personal preference.
You may have to accommodate your entire family and that may include a range of thermostat settings depending on who is home and what is going on in your dwelling. The bottom line here is do you need to save energy or do you want to leave your home at one comfortable temperature setting?
Where to Set That Thermostat During Winter
Let’s take a look at some facts and tips for setting the temperature in your home. These may be general in nature, but they will give you a good idea how and why you might want to set your thermostat at a certain temperature for heating your home.
- A heating system has to work harder to get a temperature back up to specified temperature than it does to maintain a constant one.
- You reap some pretty substantial savings when you reach the lower temperature setting, such as at night or when you are gone for an extended period. Each one degree drop in temperature for an eight hour period will reduce your fuel bill about one percent.
- Lower your thermostat setting one degree at a time. Live with the lower setting for a week or so. You may be able to lower the temperature setting 3-4 degrees in your home using this method. This can bring a substantial savings to your fuel bill and may still allow you to feel comfortable in your home.
- Take into account who lives in your home with you. If you have a baby or small children in your home the temperature setting may need to be set higher and left at a pretty constant setting. Older children and adults can stand more of a temperature range. Also, keep in mind that elderly people living in your home may be more susceptible to temperature changes and cooler temperatures in general.
- Consider using a programmable thermostat in your house. After you, and your family if you have one, decide on a plan for controlling the temperature in your home, a programmable thermostat can greatly aid in carrying out the operation. Making changes automatically means you never forget to make those changes and people living in the home may not even notice the temperature changes.
- Having your home properly insulated and using weather stripping around doors and windows helps keep a more constant temperature inside the dwelling. Keep temperature swings in your home minimized, and everyone will feel more comfortable no matter what the thermostat is set on.
- People generate heat. Each person in your home is equivalent to about a 175-watt heater. If you live alone or with just a spouse, this may not affect the temperature within your home very much. If you have a large family or people in and out all the time this could affect the temperature in your home.
- Use the Energy Star® programmable thermostat tool. This tool will help you understand more about thermostat settings and the way those settings affect the way you feel in your home. The more you know about home temperature settings the better decisions you will make about heating your home.
- Don’t underestimate a hot cup of coffee or tea, or even hot chocolate. Go easy on the whiskey! Any of these may make you feel warmer if you think your home is a bit cold for you.
Thermostat Wars – Which Way is Best?
It’s not easy to figure out where and how to set the thermostat in your home. But don’t go to war over it! Setting it at one temperature and leaving it or moving it around depending on if you are gone or sleeping can by a trying issue.
The tips and facts listed above might help you decide on how to set your thermostat. For maximum comfort, you might want to leave it at a constant setting. For energy savings, you might want to set it lower at times.
Talk it over with your spouse and family. It might be that both ways are correct and you just need to figure out what preference is best for your situation.
