Should You Adjust Your Thermostat When You Leave the House? What You Need to Know.

November 18, 2020

What to Consider Before Adjusting Your Thermostat When Leaving the House

If you’re trying to find the best way to save money when you leave the house, you’ve come to the right place. Your heating and cooling are a large source of energy costs, but your thermostat might be the solution to keeping your monthly bill low. These are the three things to consider if you find yourself asking whether or not you should adjust your thermostat when you leave the house.

A Programmable Thermostat

Taking control of your home’s temperature and consequently your energy bill starts with your thermostat! All thermostats provide the ability to keep your spaces at your ideal temp all year long, but programmable thermostats allow you to determine exactly when you want your home to be, for instance, 68˚ when you go to sleep.

For homeowners that leave the house at specific times every day, a programmable thermostat will automatically adjust the temperature so that your system won’t be constantly heating or cooling an empty space. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, the best thing to do is to turn your system off.

How Long You’ll Be Away

The longer you leave you’re thermostat untouched, the better off your energy bill will be. You should always adjust your thermostat when you leave for work or are away for more than 5 hours at a time. Adjusting your thermostat when you’ll only be away for an hour won’t make that much of a difference, so it won’t be a huge loss if you forget!

The Time of Year

The summer heat can be unbearable and cause you great concern for your energy bill. Luckily, you can cut corners during hot days in Eastern Arkansas by adjusting your thermostat to about 80˚ when you leave the home. Whether you leave for a short period of time or for many hours at a time, it’s always best to keep your home hotter during the day and turn your thermostat back down when you arrive home.

Some homeowners don’t consider turning their HVAC completely off when they leave the house. If no one is home, then it is more energy efficient to turn your system off rather than constantly heat or cool your home. It’s also much more energy efficient to adjust your thermostat one time to make your space more comfortable. For example, you can certainly heat up your home when you get out of bed in the morning instead of keeping your whole home set to 68˚.

Colder days are easier to handle for your HVAC, which means you can set the temperature 10˚ to 15˚ lower in the winter.

By changing your thermostat by 7˚ or 10˚ for 8 hours a day, the Department of Energy estimates you can save 10% a year on your energy bill. Taking the time to plan out your temperature adjustments can truly make a difference in your household. For more information on programmable thermostats, give us a call. Mohr has everything you need to take your energy savings to the next level.