The Epic Battle over the Thermostat
It’s safe to say the weather’s been chilly and, we’re guessing that households across Northern New England just like yours have been “discussing” the appropriate setting for the thermostat. We have an idea to help end the battle between energy savings and comfort!
Sometimes the disagreement over the thermostat is with someone else in the house that happens to “run” at a different temperature. Some like it hot, a balmy 74°, while others are more comfortable donning a sweater and cozying up with a cup of tea in a cool 62° room. And the battle ensues. OR, perhaps you battle yourself. You come home from work to a cool house and then have an internal struggle as to how high you should turn it up and risk saving on your energy costs.
There is a solution that may help to end your battle by providing comfort and energy savings. Consider installing a programmable thermostat. These great little devices put the heating system on an automatic schedule: set it to an agreeable temperature during hours when the home is active and a reduced temperature when the house is empty or the family is asleep. This means you can have the home at a temperature that’s comfortable for everyone before you even get home from work.
Want to take it one step further? Learning, or “smart”, thermostats are some of the most exciting technology to surface in the world of residential energy efficiency. The Lyric thermostat, by Honeywell (About $275; lyric.honeywell.com) uses geo-fencing technology and your smartphone to automatically adjust the thermostat to your lifestyle. No need to program.
In both cases, these thermostats can be an effective energy saving solution. Over an 8-hour period, a savings of as much as 1% can be gained for each degree that you set your thermostat back. And savings is something that everyone can agree on.
