Your HVAC installation is responsible for keeping your home comfortable year-round. If you’re not being thoughtful about using the thermostat, you could end up needing an early air conditioning repair or furnace replacement due to strain on the system. Here are some tips for setting the thermostat.

How to Optimize Your Thermostat Habits

1. Avoid Frequent Temperature Changes

Try to stick to one temperature throughout the day instead of changing it frequently. Constantly fiddling with the temperature—especially adjusting it more than a few degrees—causes the system to cycle frequently and work harder to keep up with your demands, leading to early wear and tear on the parts and higher utility bills.

2. Adjust for When You’re Away

Set the temperature higher in summer and cooler in winter when you’ll be gone for a day or more. This reduces the strain on your HVAC system and gives it a break. You won’t be uncomfortable since you’ll be away, and it will lower your utility bill, too.

3. Keep It Mild in Summer & Winter

Avoid setting your thermostat to low or high temperatures during summer and winter, respectively. The ideal ranges are in the mid to upper 70s in summer and upper 60s in winter. These temperatures prevent your system from running continually. When the seasons change, adjust the thermostat temperatures gradually to keep up with dips and rises instead of initiating a sudden demand.

4. Get a Programmable or Smart Thermostat

A programmable or smart thermostat allows you to set a temperature schedule throughout the day to make minute changes based on when you’ll be home. The changes aren’t as drastic as the ones you make when you’re leaving on vacation, but a few degrees of difference when no one’s home or when everyone’s asleep will save energy and lessen HVAC strain throughout the year. An experienced HVAC contractor can easily install one for your system.

Get a programmable thermostat or an inspection for your HVAC installation from the experts at Albright Heating & Air Conditioning in Columbia, MO. They have over 25 years of experience in heating and air conditioning repairs, inspections, and installations. Locally owned and operated, they offer 24/7 emergency services and same-day repairs when able. Each HVAC contractor is NATE-certified, and their repairs are backed by a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Learn more about their repair services online, and call (573) 875-7888 for a free estimate.