Written on: February 3, 2020

Save Money With Your Thermostat: Here’s How

Most people think of their thermostat as the little box on their wall that they adjust when they are feeling cold. But if you have a programmable thermostat, you could be doing much more with it – including saving money.
In fact, managing the temperature of your home with a programmable thermostat is one of the easiest ways to save 10 percent or more on your energy costs – enough to cover the cost of installing one if you don’t have one already.
If you do have a programmable thermostat, you might be wondering what settings will give you the best balance of comfort and economy. Here’s what the U.S. Department of Energy has to say about that.

Thermostat Programming Recommendations:

Winter months:

• When you’re home and awake, set the thermostat for 68°F.
• Lower temperatures by 7-10° for the hours you’re asleep or out of the house.*

Summer months:

• When you’re home and awake, program air conditioning to 78°F.
• Program the AC to shut off during the hours you’re out of the house.

In general:

• Program heat or A/C to shut off 20-30 minutes before you leave home each day; return them to normal comfort levels 20 to 30 minutes before you come home.**
• Program reductions in heating or cooling to begin 60 minutes before you go to sleep; return them to normal comfort levels 30 minutes before you awaken.

* On exceptionally cold days, avoid dropping your thermostat below 60 degrees to prevent frozen pipes.
** If you have Wi-Fi thermostat, you can control your home’s temperature from your smart phone.
Be smart and save on your monthly energy bills. Want to save even more? Become a Swezey customer and pay less for your heating oil deliveries. Contact us today to learn more.