Winter is fast approaching and the cooler weather means homes across the nation will soon be turning up the heat. Yet the majority of homeowners are unaware of just how much of their hard earned dollars are being wasted by simply pressing a button on their thermostats. Thermostats in residential homes account for an astonishing 9% of energy used throughout the nation. Setting your thermostat too high can result in a huge power bill along with overloading your furnace which leads to excessive wear and tear.
Do You Know How to Set an Old Manual or a New Digital Thermostat?
According to researchers the majority of homeowners don’t understand how to use their thermostats to their advantage. Even homeowners who replaced manual thermostats with programmable ones are not faring much better when you take into consideration operator error. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suspended EnergyStar programs for programmable thermostats because of the lack of energy savings that consumers were experiencing!
Mistakes Homeowners Make Using Their HVAC Thermostats
1. Confusing thermostat terms: According to one study, more than half the individuals tested where unable to figure out how to place the thermostat in heat mode let alone program the devises correctly. Some of the most confusing terms included timed hold, permanent hold versus permanent override, away and vacation.
2. Learning to use existing thermostats: Homeowners are not always included in the selection process. The majority of homeowners find themselves with a thermostat that was already in the home before they moved in making it difficult to operate simple because they don’t have access to the operating manual. Other considerations include incorrect placement of the thermostat, such as too close to windows which means that the temperature read is cooler than the actual temperature in the home.
3. Thermostats aren’t very user friendly: Thermostats are not particularly user friendly when you consider all the misinformation on the internet regarding thermostat operation. For example lowering your thermostat at night uses more energy to heat the residence back up. In actuality, the lower the interior temperature, the slower it will lose heat. In fact, as soon as your house drops below its normal temperature, it will lose energy to the surrounding environment more slowly. The bottom line is the lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss. By keeping your home set at a lower temperature while you are away, the more energy and money you will save which is definitely something you should consider next time you are tempted to crank up the heat before leaving for the day.
How Much Does a Smart Thermostat Save?
If you are feeling overwhelmed don’t give up just yet, according to the experts at Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning there is a simple solution to maintaining the ideal home temperature while saving money and it may be closer than you realize. Consider installing a smart thermostat linked to the internet and your smartphone to take the guesswork out of heating your home. Major brands such as Honeywell now design thermostats that use your smartphones location to determine how far away you are to adjust your homes temperature before your arrival. Other products such as the Nest actually learn your behaviors to automatically adjust your thermostat allowing you to save your cash while lowering energy consumption.
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To learn more about thermostat repair, maintenance and installation contact the knowledgeable experts at Air Supply Heating & Air Conditioning today.