Greenwood winters are brutally cold with temperatures often entering the teens in January and February. However, spring temperatures bounce between the 30s and 70s from March to May, leading many to want to reduce energy consumption with temperature fluctuations by turning the heat off when it’s warm enough. But does turning the heat on and off raise the bill in Greenwood, IN, instead?
Many notice that frequently turning Smartphones or laptops on and off drains the battery since each time they open or restart the device, it uses a surge of power. Because of this, homeowners usually wonder if the same is true about heating systems. So, Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair, which offers HVAC services in Greenwood, Indiana, is stepping in to explain which is true and encourage efficient thermostat use.
How Do Heating Expenses and Thermostat Settings Go Hand in Hand?
Before delving into how to adjust your thermostat, let’s look at why knowing this is crucial.
Your thermostat is constantly tracking your current indoor temperature and comparing it to your thermostat setting so it knows when to tell your heating unit to power on (and for how long). For instance, if you set it to 70 degrees and it realizes the indoor temperature is starting to drop, it’ll send signals to your furnace, heat pump, or boiler to cycle until it regains the perfect controlled climate.
Once it’s at this temperature or above, your heater won’t turn on, meaning it won’t pull electricity from your energy grid and raise your monthly bills. However, in an effort to further lower energy bills, many residents try to shut off their system whenever they can, but does this come with even greater costs?
Can You Save Money By Toggling Your Heating System On and Off?
So does turning the heat on and off raise the bill? Fortunately, unlike with electronics, toggling your heating system on and off doesn’t cause spikes in electricity usage and, therefore, won’t raise your utility costs. So, while many believe keeping one consistent temperature is more energy efficient, powering off your system at certain times of the day for long periods actually can help you save a pretty penny.
However, specialists warn against completely turning off your system for other reasons. That’s because if you’re sacrificing comfort for costs, you’re not only encouraging dry, itchy skin alongside bleeding lips and other physical irritations but also jeopardizing the wellness of your structure.
For instance, colder climates, such as the one here in Greenwood, IN, are enough to freeze and burst pipes, which causes water damage and affects your plumbing’s functionality. It can cost between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars for replacements and household repairs, depending on the size of the affected area, service fees, and the types of pipes you invest in.
So, find the middle ground by lowering the temperature at times rather than turning off your heating system completely.
When Should You Lower the Heat in Your Greenwood Home and By How Much?
A common misconception is the negative impact of frequent heating changes on your utility grid, but research shows regular thermostat adjustments don’t raise bills (unless you’re constantly raising the temperature). According to the U.S. Department of Energy, lowering your thermostat by seven to ten degrees for up to eight hours a day is enough to reduce your annual utility costs by about 10%.
However, the ideal temperature you should strive for if you’re home and awake is between 68 and 70 degrees. Experts find it’s safe and comfortable enough for people, pets, and your property.
On the other hand, your body reacts best to an environment ranging from 60 to 65 degrees during bedtime since, according to WebMD, it helps you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Adjusting your thermostat accordingly at night will help with sleep while also effectively lowering your energy bills.
As you can probably already guess, your thermostat settings are at their lowest when you’re away. For most, the magic number is 50 but you should consider whether you have plants and pets that remain home when you’re not there. Since they also need a comfortable environment, consider a setting from 55 to 60 degrees in your Greenwood residence.
How Else Can Your Thermostat Increase Cost-Effectiveness in Greenwood?
Now that you know the answer to “Does turning the heat on and off raise the bill?” is a resounding no, what other ways can you lower your monthly energy costs? Since thermostat habits and energy costs heavily correlate, consider switching your thermostat with a programmable or Smart one.
Programmable thermostats allow you to preset certain temperature changes throughout the day so you don’t have to manually adjust them or worry about forgetting to do so. For instance, you can have a one-week schedule that repeats the same changes daily, such as lowering the temperature when you leave for work and rising 30 minutes before you return home.
However, if your weekend schedule is different, choose a 5-2 schedule that has one set of scheduled temperatures for the workdays and another for Saturday and Sunday. There are also 5-1-1 and 7-day programming, the latter offering seven different schedules for each day of the week.
Smart thermostats take this one step further, allowing you to make changes from anywhere via a Smart device. This proves especially useful with last-minute schedule alterations.
We Know Comfort; Trust Us as Your Greenwood Experts!
The whole point of learning about your heating bill and temperature adjustments is to have complete comfort, and who knows more about this than the company that has it in its name?
At Complete Comfort Heating, A/C & Plumbing Repair, we have over 20 years of experience providing heating and cooling in Greenwood, IN, and the surrounding areas. Within that time, 75% of all our clients found us via word of mouth, meaning our returning customers have nothing but good things to say. So, call 317-678-7002 to learn “Does turning the heat on and off raise the bill?” and how to save on energy bills with regular HVAC maintenance!