You know what temperature you want to set your thermostat, but you probably also know that setting it a few degrees lower could save you some more on energy. Of course, no one wants to be cold in their home during the winter, so is there a compromise that can keep you comfortable andsave you money? There is, let us tell you.
Ten Percent Energy Savings
If you’d like to cut ten to twenty percent off your energy bill, you can do so if you lower your home’s thermostat seven to ten degrees for eight hours per day. In California, you might want to set your home to 72 °F. To get the savings, you’d need to lower that to 62 °F or lower. Most people choose to do this while they’re out at work, so that they don’t have to sit in a cold home.
Of course, that presents a few problems. You have to remember to turn the thermostat down when you leave for work. Then, you arrive back to a cold home and you have to wait for it to heat up. Few people think that such concessions are worth the ten to twenty percent heating savings, at least not in the long term.
However, using a smart thermostat, you can get the savings without the discomfort. The Ecobee 4 smart thermostat, for example, will turn your thermostat down when you leave the house. Before you arrive home, the thermostat will set the furnace back up, so your home is warm when you walk through the door.
Another advantage of the system is that smart thermostats can turn your furnace off altogether, saving you even more money. In California winters, the difference between 62 °F and the coldest winter days isn’t too much, but will still get you some savings. If your coldest days hit the 50s or 40s, you could be saving double the energy costs you’d save on those days just by manually turning down your thermostat.
Smart Thermostat Advantages
The Ecobee 4 and other modern thermostats are more than just programmable thermostats. They use clever technology to read the temperature in multiple places in your home, to manage any cold spots you might have. It’s also controllable from an app, so you can let it know if you have gone on vacation or turn it up if the babysitter calls and says it’s too cold.
It also senses if you’re coming home when you’re not scheduled to be, or if you’ve left when you’re normally home. It’ll adjust your thermostat for your best energy savings without you having to even think about your home’s temperature.
This smart thermostat also knows which room of the home you’re in, and focuses on making that spot most comfortable. Plus, it has built-in Amazon Alexa voice service, so you can change the temperature just by asking the thermostat. Of course, you can also ask Alexa anything else, like the temperature outside or to order something online.
It’s rare that something that can save you money can also make your life so much more convenient. If you’re interested in getting a smart thermostat installed, give us a call.
