Keeping Your Home Energy and Cost Efficient in the Winter

As the outside temperature drops and our need for warmth increases, it can be easy to simply adjust the thermostat to a higher temperature. However, it can be a tough call to make when the result of hotter air is higher bills. Many homeowners try various tricks to stay warm, but end up getting frustrated with the result.

There is good news, though. This winter does not need to be miserable. There are two things to take note of when trying to find an ideal comfort level within your home and it stars with the location of your thermostat.

If you have control of thermostat installation location, avoid the following spaces:

• Behind doors
• On the walls of inside corner areas
• On an wall whose other side faces the outdoors
• In direct sunlight
• Next to, or directly in front of, an HVAC air discharge grill / stairwell / outside door
• Near water pipes, steam, air ducts, or un-heated / un-cooled space

Try to keep it at least 18in away from any outside walls and about 5ft above the floor. This will ensure your thermostat works to the best of its ability without any interference from outside forces.

The second necessary adjustment is the actual temperature of the thermostat.

• In the winter, keep your setting at 68 degrees F. It will still be comfortable, but will cost you much less over time.
• In the summer, it is recommended to keep the setting at 76 degrees F.

For every 1 degree difference you make in your settings, your energy savings will equal about 2% to 4% in a 24 hour period. Even if you can only change your current setting by one degree, it will reflect on your bill and add up over time.

You might also consider investing in a smart thermostat, which will automatically adjust to key temperatures during certain parts of the day. That way, energy is not being wasted while you are gone or asleep.

We hope this helps you stay warm and happy this winter! What do you do to help save on costs but still be comfortable within your home? Let us know in the comments below!