Ways to Save Energy and Money While Cooling an Empty Home
Summer is a busy season, and while most homeowners are leaving their homes empty to go to work or do fun things, it doesn’t mean they can’t find a way to keep their homes cool in the summer heat without having to fork over an excessive amount of money in energy bills. To keep homeowners from experiencing the sticker shock of a high summer electricity bill, HVAC experts have the following advice about cooling an empty home to help balance home comfort with energy savings.
78 Is the Magic Number
The debate on the perfect home temperature when away from home has always been, excuse the pun, a heated one. Still, when considering energy usage and home comfort, many agree that the sweet spot is 78 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer.
When occupied, a home may not be comfortable enough at 78 degrees to get through the scorching summer heat. But when empty, 78 degrees is enough to keep a home from overheating without unnecessarily overworking the air conditioning. At this temperature, homes can save on energy bills even as they allow homeowners to come home to a house that has been kept comfortably sheltered from the worst of the summer heat.
Keep Temperatures Steady
Setting temperatures at extreme levels and making large temperature fluctuations in an attempt to have a cool house to come home to or to save money when no one is home won’t just result in high energy bills but can also result in unnecessary wear and tear on the air conditioner.
Homeowners are advised to avoid setting the thermostat in such a way that would result in large temperature fluctuations when the home is empty and when people return to prevent this from happening. Making more minor fluctuations in temperature can prevent the AC from overworking and consuming more energy.
Invest in a Smart Thermostat
A common dilemma among homeowners who have to leave their homes for periods in the summer is how to conserve energy best and save money without sacrificing comfort. Modern technology can help with the availability of programmable and smart thermostats. Replacing an old thermostat with a smart or programmable one can give homeowners the flexibility and savings they crave but cannot get from older units.
Because smart thermostats have more advanced settings, can automatically adjust the temperature to save energy, and can be set remotely from an app, homeowners can save money on cooling costs. They also don’t have to worry if their homes are too cold or too warm when they arrive since they can control their ACs remotely and change the temperature before returning home.
About Jerry Brittingham A/C & Heat, Inc.
Jerry Brittingham A/C & Heat, Inc. has over two decades of experience serving Daytona Beach and the surrounding communities. They provide true transparency pricing, a membership plan, and financing. Call them today for smart thermostat installation and repair in Daytona Beach, FL.
