In the Valley of the Sun, summer temperatures and summer utility bills can quickly become unbearably high. Even if you’ve selected the most optimal utility service plan, you still can find yourself paying substantially to keep your home cool.
Are there other ways to save on electricity? You bet! It’s time to take a closer look at your thermostat.
What’s the Right Temperature?
What summer indoor temperature is most comfortable for you and your family—68 degrees, 72 degrees or maybe 78 degrees? There is no right answer. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to indoor air.
If you will be away from home during the day, you can set the thermostat to 80 degrees or above dependent on whether you have children, pets, and plants. Before arriving back home, if you have a programmable or smart thermometer, allowing your house to automatically cool down to a more comfortable 72-78 degrees would be perfect. If your home has a non-programmable thermostat, reset to a cooler temperature when you walk in the door.
The Department of Energy estimates that you can save up to 10% a year on cooling costs by dialing up your thermostat 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours a day. Just keep a watch on humidity levels. Humidity higher than 50% for an extended period will make the air sticky and may cause condensation on windows, mold, and mildew growth.
Best energy savings will be achieved at 78 degrees. Don’t try to quicken the pace of temperature drop though. You won’t reach ideal temperature any faster by lowering the thermostat to 65 degrees before arriving home. Keep in mind, you may want to adjust the thermometer even lower at bedtime for a more comfortable sleep.
To get your body adjusted to a higher indoor temperature, gradually raise the indoor temperature by one degree every day. Surprisingly, you will be acclimated to the higher temperatures in about one week. Adding in ceiling fans to generate a breeze will make your rooms feel one to four degrees cooler. Having portable fans will allow you to cool down even more when you need quick heat relief.
In other words, setting the thermostat higher in the summer is the key to summer energy bill savings. Call us at 480-968-5652 for all your HVAC service and installation needs.
