How to Save Money with Your Thermostat

Posted on May 6th, 2019 by Devine Bros

As temperatures rise, it’s everyone’s first instinct to crank the A/C, but using your air conditioner to cool your home 24/7 can get expensive. That’s where we come in! Did you know that your thermostat plays an integral role in energy savings? Read on for key ways to keep cool without breaking the bank this summer:

• Strategically Set Your Thermostat: Believe it or not, 78-degrees is the optimal thermostat temperature for energy savings. — GASP! Say it ain’t so! — Shocking we know. Your air conditioner uses less energy when the thermostat is set more closely to the temperature outside. Set your thermostat according to the weather forecast to slash your energy bill.
• Invest in a Programmable Thermostat: One of the easiest ways to cut cooling costs is to purchase a programmable thermostat. You’ll be able to schedule your A/C to automatically turn off while you’re at work and on right around the time you plan to return home. This eliminates the need to manually fuss with the settings every day. Just set it and forget it! (Pro Tip: Check out the Nest Learning Thermostat — it learns your temperature habits in about a week and is compatible with Amazon Alexa. You can also adjust the temperature from your smartphone or tablet.)
• Acclimate to Higher Temperatures: Though it may be unbearable to imagine, getting your body acclimated to warmer temperatures is extremely beneficial to your budget. Try raising the temperature gradually. If you’re comfortable in a 68-degree atmosphere, try raising the thermostat one degree per day until you work up to 78-degrees — or whatever you can comfortably handle. You’d be amazed at how quickly you’ll adapt.
• More Ways to Save: Of course, there are ways to supplement that higher thermostat setting to stay cool.
  • Block the Sun: Invest in blinds and/or curtains to block the sun’s rays from baking your home in the afternoons.
  • Open the Windows: Temperatures can drop up to 20-degrees in the evenings. Give the A/C a break and crack open the windows to stay cool and get a dose of fresh air in the process.
  • Install Ceiling Fans: A great way to supplement your cooling system is to install ceiling fans in various rooms of your home. They only cost pennies per day to operate and circulate the air, making warm rooms feel cooler.

If you live in Fairfield County, trust Devine Bros. to help get your home ready for the summer months. We offer air conditioner repairs, installations, and tune ups, and have one of the largest inventories of landscaping supplies in southern Connecticut. If you live in Norwalk, Westport, New Canaan, or the surrounding area, contact us today at 203-866-4421!