8 Ways to Save Money by Controlling Your Thermostat

Heating and cooling costs are some of the biggest expenses in owning a home. The following is a list of 8 tips that will show how controlling your thermostat, and the temperature of your home, can save you money.

1. Lower heating temperatures. Adjust your thermostat and reduce the temperature in your home by between 10% and 15% throughout the heating season. This will save between 10% and 15% on heating costs each year. Figure 1% of savings for each degree of decreased temperature setting.
2. Adjust for activities. Change your thermostat setting to make the most of your heating when you are home, and not sleeping. By lowering your home’s temperature when you are sleeping or at work, you will reduce your heating bill by 10% each year. This means remembering to adjust your thermostat several times a day. This can be difficult for some people, but the money saved is well worth the effort.
3. Purchase a programmable thermostat. If you are like most people, and can’t remember to set your thermostat before you go to work or when you go to bed, you can install a programmable thermostat that will remember for you. There are many options available and the money you save by using your thermostat wisely will pay for that one-time extra cost.
4. Choose a zone thermostat so you are heating only the area of your home that you are currently using. If your furnace will not accommodate that type of thermostat, you can create your own zone heating by closing vents and doors in rooms that are not being used and only heat the rooms you use on a regular basis.
5. Other cooling appliances. Your thermostat adjustments and the amount of time your furnace runs can be reduced by using a ceiling fan to keep that warm air pushed down. Also, consider using a humidifier in the winter to add a little moisture back into the air. Moist air feels warmer than dry air making your home more comfortable even at lower temperatures, which means that your thermostat can be set lower, saving you money, without compromising your comfort.
6. Natural options.Other ways to maximize your furnace and keep that thermostat adjusted to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home while saving money include utilizing your windows and natural heating and cooling. Trees offer shade and keep your home cooler in the summer, evergreen trees can provide a wind break to make your home warmer in the winter. Open curtains on sunny winter days to let in the heat, and close them to keep out the cold at night. Conversely, keep the blinds pulled on hot summer days to keep the heat out.
7. Increase cooling temperatures. In the summer, increasing the temperature of your home by between 10% and 15% will help reduce the costs of cooling your home. Use a ceiling fan to keep the air moving. Because moving air feels cooler than still air, you will hardly notice the temperature difference, until you open your utility bill and discover that running a fan takes much less energy than running your air conditioning.
8. Maximum efficiency. By setting your thermostat to run only when necessary to keep your home temperature at a comfortable level, you will ultimately be extending the life of your furnace and air conditioning unit saving you hundreds of dollars in replacement costs over the years.

By properly setting your thermostat and using a few other related tricks you will be pleasantly surprised to discover how much money you can save on your heating and cooling bills each year.

Taken From Compare Electricity Rates