The worst part about summer isn’t the heat; it’s the price of avoiding it. Homeowners often struggle to meet the demands of battling sweltering temperatures, especially if they have an older HVAC system. But if you’re working with modern technology, there are some quick tips you can adopt that will help lower the cost of your energy bill without forcing you to go without air conditioning. Turn your attention to your thermostat, and get ready to make some simple adjustments that can save you money.
Avoid Lowering Your Thermostat Below 70
A lower setting doesn’t make your house cool faster, and it may be completely unattainable. Modern HVAC systems aren’t able to cool your home more than 20 degrees below the temperature outside, so setting the thermostat to 65 when it’s pushing 100 is only going to bloat your energy bill.
The best setting for AC in the summer is 70-72, which will achieve a cool room temperature without forcing your HVAC system to work on overdrive all day.
Raise the Temperature When You Aren’t Home
If you’re at work all day, there’s no need to leave the AC running, but you don’t have to keep your home uncooled either. Instead, raise the temperature to 72-75 degrees; this will cause your system to periodically cool your house without running more than necessary.
Consider Investing in a Smart Thermostat
There are a few reasons why smart thermostats have such a good reputation:
- They often feature remote controls for on-demand cooling
- You can program them to work automatically at different times of the day
- They’re more energy efficient and save more money
If you don’t have a smart thermostat, you can be more limited in terms of keeping your house cooler during the times you’re not at home. But with a smart thermostat, you could automatically program the device to cool your home 30 minutes before you arrive, or adjust its settings to run on different temperatures throughout the day.
These devices also tend to have built-in calibrators that can automatically adjust settings based on room temperature. This makes them a great long-term investment for homeowners who want to live with greater energy efficiency.
Don’t Skip Service
A routine HVAC system tune-up can include a thermostat check and calibration. This simple maintenance check can make your thermostat work better and communicate more effectively with your AC, so you don’t find yourself constantly adjusting settings, switching the fan from on to auto, and trying to find the perfect temperature all day.
An uncalibrated or outdated thermostat can misread the room and signal your AC to shut off before it’s actually done its job. However, if you notice your room still feels hot despite the thermostat reading differently, call a professional.
Final Thoughts
If you happen to find that your system still doesn’t seem to work well despite following the experts’ recommendations, make sure you schedule an AC inspection. A local technician can give you personalized feedback about your home’s HVAC system.
If you need trusted thermostat services in Denver, CO, reach out to Priority Plumbing and Heating today.
