Furnaces, air conditioners, and other HVAC equipment account for most of the energy costs in American homes. When you’re setting your thermostat, you need to balance the cost of running your furnace against the need for a comfortable home. Here are some tips to help.

Do:

Adjust by season.

The bigger the difference between the air temperature outside and the temperature you’re trying to maintain inside, the harder the furnace or heat pump has to work to maintain it.

Setting the thermostat ten degrees cooler in winter can make a massive difference to your energy bill. It’s also best to adjust according to the time of day. Set the thermostat higher when the sun is up since it’s naturally warmer outside.

Upgrade the thermostat.

To make it easier to adjust the home’s temperature throughout the day, install a smart thermostat. This cornerstone of smart home technology can learn your daily routine and weekly schedule.

It adjusts the temperature after you leave for work and before you get home, as well as when you’re ready for bed. You can also change the settings from a smartphone or tablet. This makes temperature control much more convenient.

Don’t:

Turn the furnace off when gone.

Some people hope to save money by shutting off the heating when they’re not around to use it. However, any savings are offset by the need to heat the home back up when returning, which uses a lot of energy at once compared to maintaining the temperature throughout the day.

Also, if your home gets too cold, the pipes can freeze, resulting in costly damage. While it’s smart to turn the thermostat down to about 50 or 55 degrees when gone for a few days, never turn it all the way off.

Make dramatic temperature adjustments.

If the home is uncomfortable and you want to heat or cool it fast, it can be tempting to set the thermostat to an extreme temperature to make it change faster.

However, it doesn’t make your furnace run any faster. What’s more likely to happen is that you’ll overshoot your desired temperature, make the house too hot, and waste energy on the extra heating. Always set the thermostat to the temperature you want.

If your thermostat or furnace needs adjustments to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home, contact Muotka Mechanical in Anchorage, AK. For 20 years, this heating contractor has offered a guarantee on their quality services, including on-site sheet metal fabrication to create custom systems that suit your needs. Call (907) 344-8825 or visit their website for a free, no-obligation estimate.