Question: I hear how important it is to lower my thermostat setting during winter. What is the best setting for the most savings?
Answer: Lowering your overall thermostat setting and dialing back the temperature for extended periods (overnight or while you’re at work during the day, for example) are both smart, energy-saving strategies, however there is no “best” thermostat setting for all homes and systems. The key is to balance savings with comfort.
In general, the lower you set your thermostat in winter, the greater the savings. Try dropping the overall temperature a few degrees at a time. If you wear a sweater or long sleeves, you may be surprised at how comfortable a lower indoor temperature can feel once you become accustomed to it.
Temperature setbacks—allowing the temperature in your home to fall even lower while you’re asleep or when the house is vacant—are another way to save, especially when you can maintain this reduced setting for at least eight hours at a time. For every degree you drop the temperature during an eight-hour setback period, you can expect to realize energy savings of 1 to 3 percent.
Don’t fall for the common myth that it takes as much energy to reheat a house after a temperature setback period. It doesn’t, and here’s why: The amount of heat lost through walls,ceilings and floors is directly proportional to the difference between the indoor and the outdoor temperatures.Air leakage also increases with larger temperature differences. When the indoor temperature is set lower, the indoor-to-outdoor temperature difference is smaller, so less heat is lost from your home.
The only instance where a temperature setback may not be wise is if you have a heat pump with backup electric-resistance heating and an old thermostat.Under these circumstances,setting the thermostat higher after a setback period may cause the resistance heater to activate, cutting into your savings. One easy solution: Install a special setback thermostat designed for use with heat pumps. These devices have circuits that keep the backup resistance heating elements off after the setback period and will help maximize your energy savings.
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