When you first find out that 42-64% of your energy bill goes towards heating and cooling your home, you’re shocked. Your first thought is, ‘how is this possible?’
Your second thought is how to start cutting heating and cooling costs; after all, that’s a lot of money every month. And did you know – overworking your furnace can cause it to break down? No one wants to call for Toronto furnace repair or speedy furnace installation in the dead of winter!
But how do you do it?
As you prepare your furnace for the winter, we have a way to make your home comfortable and more cost-efficient without sacrificing heat. All we have to do is answer the question: what temperature should I set my thermostat to in winter?
Your Thermostat Setting for Winter Should Be at Least 17° Celsius
There is no magically perfect thermostat setting for winter, but we do recommend that your thermostat be set to at least 17° to 19° Celsius in the winter.
This temperature is ideal for when you’re asleep or away from home. When we sleep, we use less energy, and we don’t need it to be as warm (not to mention we’ve all got our favourite cozy blankets to curl up under). This minimum temperature also keeps your pipes from freezing. We don’t have to tell you that freezing pipes can lead to messy and expensive water damage.
A Comfortable Daytime Temperature is Between 20° and 22° Celsius
On average, a universally pleasant indoor temperature for when your family is home is approximately 20° to 22° Celsius. Of course, this is entirely dependant on you. Everyone has different preferences, and you should set the thermostat at whatever makes you feel comfortable.
The one thing that’s absolutely true is that setting one temperature, and keeping it that temperature all season long, isn’t doing your home heating bill any favours. You need a smart home heating plan to stay comfortable and save money.
Use Different Programmable Temperatures Throughout the Day to Save Energy
Using a programmable thermostat to schedule different temperatures is an effective way to save money, but it can be a double-edged sword. If you’re dropping the temperature way down when you leave, then jacking it back up when you get home, your furnace uses more energy to get back to the desired temperature. You could actually increase your costs!
The trick is to make incremental temperature changes, and program them into your thermostat so they happen automatically. If you know you’re going to be at work from 8:30 to 5:30, set the home temperature lower than your preferred daytime temperature by 2-5 degrees.
Then have it programmed to come back up before you get home. Do the same thing for bedtime. You’ll maintain an optimal comfort level at the best temperature to set, but use your heating system in the most energy efficient way possible.
In fact, some people have mastered the programmable thermostat routine so that they’re saving as much as 15-20% on their energy bills! It doesn’t sound like much, but think of it this way: when you spend $100 on heat, you save $15-$20. That really adds up over time!
You could save even more if your home has a multi-zone system.
Remember: Savings will only happen if your programmable thermostat is used correctly. Ask a Husky heating expert if you have questions about how to get the most out of yours.
Help Your Thermostat with These Hot Tips
Programming your thermostat isn’t the only way you can start saving a little something. Use these tips to increase your home’s energy efficiency.
1. Make Sure Your Home is Well Insulated
Poor insulation is the killer of older homes. It not only lets precious, expensive heat out, but it lets cold drafts in, making your furnace work even harder. Without proper insulation, you’ll pay an arm and a leg every month just to keep your teeth from chattering.
If you don’t know the state of your home’s insulation, or you suspect that your home has poor or incomplete insulation, we suggest contacting a home energy auditor. They’ll be able to inspect your insulation and provide you with steps to take to fix it.
2. Move Furniture That Could Be Blocking Vents
Furniture is the heat-stealing culprit you didn’t even suspect. A couch or bookcase placed over a vent will disrupt airflow, and reduce the heat that’s getting to the rest of your home. And you aren’t paying all that money to keep the underside of your chair warm!
It’s a simple fix; simply check all the vents in the house to make sure there are no obstructions. Suddenly that chilly living room might not be so cold, and your thermostat setting might be too warm. That is an easy way to reduce heating costs and possibly opens you up to lower temperature settings, meaning more energy savings for you!
3. Get an Annual Furnace Tune Up
Unlike fine wine, furnaces don’t get better over time. We all wish our furnaces would last forever – but eventually, they break down. But they can stay at optimal efficiency if you take care of them properly. At Husky, we go through a comprehensive furnace tune-up checklist to catch any problems, and increase your furnace’s efficiency – not to mention lifespan!
Are furnace tune-ups worth it? Furnace Tune ups seem to be the flossing of the home maintenance world. They are incredibly important to your heating costs and in practice, do way more for you than the effort it takes.
Furnace Tune ups ensure that your furnace is in good working order and identifies any potential issues to avoid a sudden breakdown, they also help improve your air quality and prevent carbon monoxide leaks.
4. Invest In A Smart Thermostat
Keeping the ideal temperature for a thermostat in winter relies on the quality of your thermostat. Smart, programmable thermostats will take into consideration your temperature settings and learn how to make sure the ideal temperature is sustained while reducing heating costs in an energy-efficient way, saving money on lower utility bills.
Keeping it at recommended thermostat settings will make sure you have a comfortable indoor temperature for the time of day and taking a nice break on your heating bills.
Smart thermostats particularly offer you the ability to connect to wifi and control with your phone. Easy maintenance, less headaches, and if you’re out and coming home early, you can change your heat settings from afar.
Talk to Husky About Your Thermostat and Furnace Needs
Are you ready to start heating your home the smart way? We have a variety of smart thermostats available, and we can give you advice on which ones will work. We can also make sure your furnace is up to the challenge – we service all kinds of furnace brands from A-Z.
After one of our tune ups, your furnace will be running like new! We can also advise you on the best thermostat settings for your home’s ideal temperature to ensure energy efficiency as the cold weather sets in.
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