By Evelyn Long, editor-in-chief of Renovated
There are many misconceptions about how thermostats work and how best to use one to regulate home energy efficiency. These impact home energy efficiency and add to heating and cooling costs. Here are 9 ways to ensure lower bills and a comfortable room temperature throughout the year.
1. Not Setting An Optimal Temperature
Setting the right thermostat temperature is key to a comfortable and energy-efficient home. Too warm a temperature leads to wasted power, higher bills and poor sleep in stuffy bedrooms. Turning it too high in winter also forces your heating system to run longer to reach that higher temperature. On the other hand, being too cold means uncomfortable living conditions.
Instead of turning it up beyond the recommended temperature, add an extra layer of clothing. Putting it too low in the summer also wastes energy by causing the air conditioning to run for longer and use more electricity to reach that lower temperature.
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends a temperature between 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit during waking hours in winter. In summer, the recommended thermostat temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal comfort and cost savings.
2. Not Using a Setback Temperature
A setback temperature is an alternative to turning off your system altogether. You adjust the thermostat to a lower or higher temperature during periods when the home is empty or at night.
Turning the system off altogether allows the space to cool down or heat up too much, costing more to even out again. Even if it may seem counterintuitive, using a setback temperature will increase home energy efficiency in the long run and will also feel more comfortable.
3. Turning up the Thermostat to Heat a Room Faster
This very common thermostat error stems from a misconception about what thermostats do. When a room is cold, it’s human nature to want it to heat up quickly, but turning the thermostat to a higher temperature will not help. It will take as long as it takes for the room to warm up. A device does not control how quickly or efficiently the heating system works — only the temperature the room must reach.
So, turning up the thermostat to heat a room faster just won’t work. It will, however, increase your energy bill, as the heating system will have to run for longer to reach the higher-than-normal temperature.
As mentioned above, using a setback temperature will help keep your living spaces slightly warmer even when unoccupied, so warming up to a comfortable level will automatically be faster. That is the best way to heat a room faster, rather than wasting energy on turning up the thermostat in a mistaken bid to speed things up.
4. Turning the Thermostat Right Down in the Summer
When the heat outside is high, it’s tempting to set the thermostat as low as possible. This is another thermostat mistake that can decrease home energy efficiency, as well as increase bills. The key is understanding the difference between the external temperature and the desired internal one.
In winter, warm air flows from a warm house to the cold exterior, and in the summer, warm air flows from the hot exterior into a cooler interior. The rate of heat transfer is higher when there is a large temperature difference between the interior. So, when the thermostat is set too low in the summer, the fast heat transfer rate from outside to inside means that the AC system has to work harder to reach that lower desired temperature.
This is why proper home insulation matters even in warm climates. When properly insulated, less cool air will escape your home, meaning that your home stays cooler and your AC can work more efficiently.
Too low a thermostat setting in the summer can also cause the AC to cycle on and off frequently, preventing humidity removal and making the house feel uncomfortable. Instead, set the thermostat to the recommended 78 degrees Fahrenheit and follow other tips for staying cool in the summer, such as opening windows and doors to generate a cross-breeze and using fans to pull in cool evening air.
5. Not Choosing the Right Thermostat Location
If a thermostat is badly positioned within a house, it can greatly impact energy efficiency. Placing it in a room that is typically warmer or cooler than the rest of the house is a mistake because the thermostat collects data from an air or floor sensor in order to regulate the heating system. If the data it collects is atypical, it cannot work efficiently.
Always install a thermostat on an internal wall, preferably in a frequently used room. Avoid placing furniture directly in front of it. Make sure your thermostat is also positioned away from direct sunlight, windows and drafts.
6. Forgetting to Maintain the Thermostat Regularly
Many homeowners assume that once a thermostat is installed, it will just keep running. For optimal energy efficiency, however, they require regular basic maintenance at least once a year.
Firstly, check that it’s actually working and the room temperature is what it’s supposed to be. Start by taping a traditional glass thermometer to the wall close to the thermostat and wait for the reading to stabilize. It should be within one degree of the setting if calibrated correctly.
If it’s not, remove the faceplate, gently brush or wipe away any dust or dirt, and recheck the calibration with the traditional thermometer. If the thermostat is still not working correctly after cleaning, seek expert advice.
7. Leaving Your Home Unheated in the Winter
While it sounds sensible to turn off the heating when the home will be empty — for example, during a family vacation — this is another common thermostat mistake. Avoiding leaving your home unheated is especially important during the winter months.
When water freezes, it expands, which can lead to burst pipes and significant damage. Rather than leaving your home unheated, even if you are away, use a setback temperature of at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit to protect your pipework and avoid costly repairs.
8. Being Careless Placing Heat-Generating Appliances
This sounds obvious, but is surprisingly easy to overlook in a busy home. Avoid placing appliances close to the thermostat if possible. Even something like a frequently used television can generate a surprising amount of heat, which can trick the thermostat’s sensors into misreading the room’s temperature. The AC system will then have to work harder than it needs to, to cool a room that doesn’t need cooling as much as the thermostat “thinks” it does.
9. Avoiding a Smart Thermostat
Installing a smart thermostat can help avoid many of the above issues almost effortlessly, providing long-term savings on energy bills. For a saving of around 8% on annual heating and 10% on cooling bills, choose a smart thermostat that has earned the U.S. Government’s ENERGY STAR rating.
Smart thermostats use sensors and algorithms to learn your household’s schedule and adjust temperatures automatically, minimizing electricity consumption when the space is empty or at night. By optimizing power use, it can significantly lower bills and improve home comfort levels. Depending on the thermostat, it may also provide a wealth of other data and usage reports that can identify further ways to save money and power.
Energy Efficiency Tips to Work With Your Thermostat, Not Against It
Proper use of the thermostat isn’t the only way to maximize home energy efficiency, of course. These tips will help to keep your home at a comfortable temperature no matter the season so the thermostat can also work more efficiently:
- Draft proofing: Seek out drafts around the home and mitigate them. Use caulk or expanding foam to seal gaps and cracks around windows and doors, and consider thermal curtains or draft stoppers in vulnerable rooms.
- Radiators: If you have them, dust radiators regularly and bleed them annually to prevent air traps and ensure they heat evenly. In unused or less frequently used rooms, turn radiators down to a low setting.
- Air vents: Ensure furniture and rugs do not block air vents, and change air filters every 60 to 90 days to prevent your system from working harder than necessary.
- HVAC system: Keep your system regularly maintained. Skipping HVAC services can lead to reduced efficiency and higher energy bills, as well as a greater risk of breakdowns and even safety hazards, so it is a false economy not to have the system serviced.
How to Use a Thermostat to Save Money and Make Your Home More Comfortable
While some thermostat errors are obvious, others are more subtle, and some can even seem counterintuitive, like setting a higher thermostat temperature during summer. However, by understanding heat transfer and how a thermostat works, it’s clear that the 10 errors outlined above can be costly and potentially make your home temperature uncomfortable. Following this guidance for optimal thermostat settings should increase efficiency and comfortable temperatures year-round.