Ideal Thermostat Settings to Save Money in the Texas Heat

The Texas summer sun feels like it’s doubling its efforts this week, and these “90 and up” days are once again becoming the norm. Luckily, your cooling system is prepared and ready to cooperate, helping you stay comfortable even on the nastiest days. Unluckily, however, that means you’re starting to see those high spring and summer cooling bills.

Want some help balancing out your comfort and cost ratios? The experts at Total Air & Heat can help you by teaching you how to police one of the most critical factors that influence your utility costs: the temperature you set your thermostat to.

Does the Temperature I Set My Thermostat Actually Matter?

It really does! On average a single degree on your thermostat can be roughly equated to a 6-12% increase in the power your system consumes in order to get the job done. Primarily this is due to how long your AC system runs since in order to hit 69 degrees a system has to run for a longer period of time—and thus expend more energy—than it would to hit, say, 71 degrees.

So What’s the Ideal Thermostat Setting?

This is going to vary from home to home. What kind of system you have, the efficiency of the system, and your personal comfort preferences all come into account. After all, we could tell you that setting the system to 75 would save you tons of cash, and while it would, you would probably feel a good bit warm, which sort of defeats the purpose.

If you are looking for an “ideal” setting, most experts would agree that the sweet spot sits around 72. It’s a reasonably cool temperature, saves on some energy, and is probably fairly close to where you already keep it. But if you’re comfortable with 75, more’s the better, or if you prefer 70, well, that’s your decision.

Additionally, it’s very worth mentioning that adjusting your thermostat dynamically can yield excellent results as well. Setting the temperature to 78 while you’re away at work, or up a few degrees while you are sleeping, can have a huge impact on your costs.

Programmable Thermostats Can Do it Better

Don’t want to fuss over turning the thermostat up, down, and all around all day long? There’s a better solution! Programmable thermostats can not only run sophisticated routines that help keep you cool and save you money, but they also offer energy reports, remote settings controls, and some of the higher end thermostats can even learn your preferences and set their own smart routines tailored to saving you energy.

Extra Tips for Keeping Cool

Looking for ways to cool down so that you can set your thermostat at a more fiscally agreeable temp? We’ve got some tips! Try:

• Mastering your ceiling fans. Set your fans to run counterclockwise in the summer so that it pushes air directly downward. The cool air on your skin creates an evaporative action, reducing the temperature feel in your rooms by multiple degrees.
• Changing up your wardrobe. If you depend on polyester tees and synthetic cloth, stop it! Cotton and linen breathe far better, helping you stay comfortable.
• Pursuing a more efficient AC system. Though it is certainly an investment, it’s one worth considering. A modern, high-efficiency cooling system can save you on costs all on its own over the years. Add in the more even and effective cooling, and your old 68 and barely comfortable might turn into a cool setting of 71.

Complete AC Services in Dallas, TX

Looking for a service team that is dedicated to helping you stay comfortable and keep costs to a minimum? Get in touch with the certified HVAC contractors at Total Air! Our teams can offer you the latest and greatest in cooling tech and products, so contact us today to find out more!