One question that’s often on homeowners’ minds when the cooling season begins is, “What thermostat settings should I use for my home this summer?” This is a great question, because the settings you choose will have a direct impact on how much energy your air conditioner consumes and how comfortable your home is. Today we’re going to help you figure out the summer thermostat settings that work best for your home!
The EPA’s recommended summer thermostat settings
The EPA’s recommended thermostat settings are a good place to start because they have the maximum energy-savings in mind. For the times when you’re at home, the EPA suggests that you set your thermostat to 78 degrees. During the times when you’re away from home or sleeping, the EPA recommends that you raise your thermostat by 5-10 degrees.
Adjust your thermostat settings to match your personal preferences
Although the EPA’s recommendations are great for energy-savings, many people might think 78 degrees is too warm for their homes. If you’re one of those people, the best thing to do would be to use 78 degrees as a starting point and then lower your thermostat until you find the highest temperature that you’re comfortable with. Just remember that the lower your thermostat is set at, the more energy your air conditioner will consume.
Once you figure out your preferred at-home temperature, you can use the same strategy the EPA uses for the hours of the day that you’re away from home or sleeping. Raise your thermostat about 5 degrees during those times and see how you feel. Some people might prefer to sleep in cooler temperatures than that, so you might have to adjust your thermostat to match your personal preferences for your sleeping hours.
Use a programmable thermostat to store your preferred temperatures
Once you have decided on your preferred at-home, away-from-home and sleeping temperatures, you can use a programmable thermostat to store those settings for those times of the day. With a programmable thermostat, you won’t have to manually change your thermostat settings multiple times a day and you’ll never forget to adjust your thermostat to maximize daily energy savings.
If you have any questions about your home’s summer thermostat settings, or if you’d like a cooling system serviced or installed in your home, contact Hydes, your Coachella Valley air conditioning company.
