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With December the coldest month in Sacramento, homeowners obviously reach for the thermostat cranking it up or down to stay comfortable. You are likely to end up with a skyrocketed energy bill.
With indoor temperature differing from that outdoors, your utilities are obviously expensive to maintain. You have to understand the ideal temperature to keep your home cozy without a hike in the energy bill.
This article has some optimal energy-saving ideas for your HVAC system to go through extreme coldness.
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Minimize Use at Bedtime and Nights Out
When your family is asleep or out of the house, you don’t need the HVAC system running at maximum capacity. You are to enjoy arriving at home to a cooled or pre-heated home but at a high cost.
The best way to save on running your HVAC system is to give your system a break when sleeping or away from home.
There is a likelihood of saving about 10 percent on the cooling bill when you raise your indoor temperature by about 7 to 10 degrees when out of the office for some hours.
Thermoneutrality gives the body restful sleep at night. This is a state of thermal balance for the body and the sleep environment. Achieving thermoneutrality requires your sleep environment at night to be at about 86 degrees.
You need to back this up by using minimal clothing and bedding or at about 60 to 66 degrees when sleeping in pajamas with light covers. This December, bundle up and turn your thermostat down to save on cooling costs.
Switch to a Programmable Thermostat
A manual thermostat requires turning off when going out or retiring to bed. To enjoy the convenience and save on running costs, contact the best HVAC contractors in Sacramento for a programmable thermostat.
This model will save you a significant amount when running your HVAC system regardless of whether you are home or away.
You will always be sure to come home to a comfortable home. A programmable thermostat will always warm or cool your indoor space before you arrive or before you wake up.
The professional HVAC contractor will guide you on programming your thermostat to match your requirements.
During summer, this thermostat will limit uncomfortable temperatures from finding its way inside your home. This will significantly lower the cost of cooling your home on lowering the thermostat.
In December, set the thermostat to 68 degrees when staying at home and lower it a bit lower when away from home. During extremely cold weather, set the thermostat to 55 degrees to protect your pipes from freezing.
Determine the Ideal Temperature for Your Family’s Comfort
Another idea to lower the cost of running your HVAC system this December is to determine your family’s ideal temperature. Evaluate the cost of increasing or lowering your temperature by adjusting the degrees set on the thermostat.
Do this for a few days until you get the ideal temperature for your family’s comfort without hiking the energy bill.
When wearing light clothes, the ideal temperature is between 73 to 79 degrees. Your family is less likely to notice any change in temperature within this range. Use trial and error to determine the ideal temperature for your family.
Alternatively, this also allows determining temperature that will give your family a negative reaction. Ensure to stay above or below this temperature to save on the energy bill.
Evaluate the Cost of Your Family’s Ideal Temperature
Before settling for the ideal winter temperature for your family this December, evaluate the cost of raising or lowering the thermostat. There is a likelihood of raising or lowering the cost of running your HVAC system by about 3 to 5 percent.
Raising the thermostat temperature by about 4 degrees might save you a significant amount on the next energy bill.
Understanding this will give you more control over your HVAC system bills. Making informed decisions regarding your family’s heating and cooling requirements becomes easier.
Use Alternative Means to Stay Comfortable
Frugal living is very important today. This requires lowering the cost of running your HVAC system without compromising your comfort. You can use some alternative ways to lower your HVAC running costs without making your family suffer from an uncomfortable environment. Consider alternative methods including:
- Cooking using a stove or oven
- Covering hard floor surfaces using rugs
- Sealing all cracks in the windows and doors
- Keeping all curtains and doors closed
- Spending more time upstairs where rising heat is
- Drinking warm beverages to beat the coldness
- Dressing in layers, wearing socks, and using blankets
In a Nutshell
December is the period for a wonderful moment to make merry with friends and family. However, your home should have an ideal temperature to give you comfort throughout the Christmas season.
This requires using your HVAC system. However, you have to understand how to use this system without hiking the energy bill.
