Saving money on heating bills is a big deal for homes in a place that gets as cold in the winter as the Twin Cities. If you’ve already lived here for even a single winter, you know how high heating costs rise when the temperature remains below freezing for days and nights at a time.
However, you may be paying much more than you should because of a simple thermostat mistake. It’s a common one, and as soon as you know that you’re doing it, you can make a major improvement in your regular winter heating bills.
The Basic Thermostat Mistake You’re Making
When your home is cold, do you push the thermostat up as high as possible to get the warmth moving faster through the rooms? That’s the mistake!
Here’s what is wrong with this approach: a thermostat isn’t a kind of throttle, where the harder you press on it, the more it works. A thermostat is actually a switch. It may be a switch with complex automated controls, but it’s still a switch. It controls when the heating system and fan turn on and off, but not the power at which they work.
When you put the thermostat at a high setting (80°+), you’re only requesting that the heating system run for longer. The thermostat will keep the heater working until it senses that it’s reached the set temperature, and then turn off. You won’t receive heat faster this way, and your home will end up at a stifling temperature until it cools down again—at which point the heater will simply activate once more and restart the process, draining much more energy than necessary for comfort.
Instead of cranking the thermostat up to a high temperature, set it at a steady lower temperature people in your household find comfortable. The heater will not run as often, lowering the amount of energy it consumes… as well as the dollar amount on your monthly bills. (We recommend 68°F as a starting point, and then adjust it up and down to match everyone’s needs.)
For help with your heating needs in St. Paul, MN and the surrounding areas, call Freedom Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.