Picture this: You’ve just come inside on a bitterly cold day. You want your home warm and comfortable now. What’s the best way to do that? Turning the thermostat way up, right?
Actually, no, that’s a common misconception. There are five reasons why cranking the heat up on your thermostat won’t work..
1. It Won’t Make Your Furnace Work Faster
No matter how high you set your thermostat, your furnace will continue to work at the same speed. However, it will work longer.
Normally, a heating system runs 10-15 minutes at a time, then cycles off when the desired temperature is achieved. A higher temperature setting will extend that run time, with three predictable results: your house ends up uncomfortably hot, you waste energy, and ultimately, your furnace wears out faster.
2. Your Thermostat Could Be Out of Power
Cranking up the thermostat will not produce more heat when there’s a problem with its power supply. Change the batteries, if necessary. For a hardwired thermostat, check whether there’s a tripped breaker that needs resetting.
3. You May Need to Move or Clean Your Thermostat
Careful thermostat placement is important. Make sure it’s level and mounted approximately 150 cm above the floor. If the thermostat is located in a warm spot — say, in direct sunlight or near your stove — it will inaccurately “read” the room temperature as hotter than it actually is. Cranking up the heat won’t affect this reading … but changing your thermostat location will.
Equally essential is proper thermostat maintenance. Remove the cover to gently clean inside and tighten any loose connections (try this on non-smart thermostats only, please). Alternatively, have this done during a professional HVAC tune-up.
4. Your Thermostat Is Broken
When a thermostat is broken, cranking it up simply won’t do any good. Have an inspection by a heating and cooling professional if:
- your digital thermostat is showing a black or blank screen.
- your furnace runs, but doesn’t seem to be “listening” to the thermostat.
- the room temperature doesn’t match your thermostat setting.
5. Your House Is Too Cold
Don’t turn off your heat entirely before leaving home, and then crank up the thermostat when you return. Trying to save on fuel bills this way is a mistake. It takes much more energy and time to heat your house when it’s freezing cold than slightly warm. (You also run the risk of bursting your plumbing pipes!)
When you’ll be asleep or away for a long period the best winter thermostat temperature is no lower than 17° Celsius. Following this rule will not only save your energy bills from shooting through the roof, it will also prevent the need for constant thermostat maintenance and keep the thermostat functioning efficiently.
Stay Warm and Save With Husky
Consider replacing your thermostat with a more efficient type – a programmable, smart, or Wi-Fi thermostat – to keep your home at a comfortable winter temperature and save energy.
Talk to Husky’s home heating experts to find the best thermostat for your needs.