High Power Bills? Adjust or Replace Your Thermostat & Save Up To 15%
If you actually want to lower your bills, you’ll need to set your thermostat to adjust how much you use your furnace and air conditioner.
Fluctuations in weather have a significant impact on your power bills as you pay extra during the months when your air conditioner and furnace are running most. That’s why gas and electric companies often provide the option of budget billing, which spreads your energy costs evenly across the year. However, this doesn’t actually reduce what you pay, but just redistributes it. If you actually want to lower your bills, you’ll need to set your thermostat to adjust how much you use your furnace and air conditioner.
Thermostat Adjustments Add Up
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for 8 hours or longer can reduce your winter energy bills by 5 to 15 percent. After all, you don’t really need to heat your home all day if you spend it at work. You can also add a couple more blankets to your bed at night and turn down the heat then as well. Incorporating these habits into your routine can have a huge impact on your power bills.
Ways to Adjust Temperature
You can always punch a few buttons (or turn the dial) on your thermostat to change the temperature, but the problem is that you won’t feel the changes right away. For example, you probably want your home to be warm while you’re getting ready in the morning. Therefore, adjusting the thermostat right when you wake up may not work because the temperature will only increase a few degrees before you leave the house and turn it back down again.
That’s why many people choose to replace their thermostat with a programmable model, like those from Honeywell. These high-tech devices allow you to set the thermostat to a specific program of temperatures to run each day. You can even set different programs for weekends and weekdays when your hours at home may be different.
When to Replace Thermostat
You don’t have to wait until you get a new furnace or air conditioner to replace your thermostat with a programmable one. The installation is very simple and can be completed in well under an hour. Replace your thermostat now and start saving on your next power bill!
