How to Save On Cooling Costs When the House Is Empty This Summer
Whether out of the house for an entire workday or just a few hours for errands, leaving the house empty doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be an energy-wasting black hole. These "empty house" hours can add up and significantly impact cooling costs. This blog is designed to enlighten homeowners about practical, cost-effective strategies to help save on energy bills while away from home without compromising the comfort of returning to a cool and air-conditioned home.
78 Degrees Is a Sweet Spot
Homeowners who are unsure of the right temperature to set their thermostats at while away for a few hours will be happy to know that a good number to help conserve energy while keeping homes at a comfortable temperature even when empty during the summer is 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
While that may seem like a pretty high temperature on paper, it’s a suitable temperature to maintain home comfort for when people soon return while keeping energy bills in check and ensuring that the air conditioner isn’t operating more than necessary. It also helps avoid making large fluctuations in temperature that can be costly and damaging.
Avoid Big Temperature Fluctuations
When leaving a house empty for a bit, especially during the hot summer, it is always wise to keep temperatures relatively steady, avoiding large fluctuations, such as turning up the thermostat too high for a few hours while away to save money. It can actually have the opposite effect.
A significant temperature fluctuation like this could adversely affect not just a home’s energy consumption (and ultimately, the electricity bill) but also create unnecessary wear and tear or damage to the air conditioner. This is because the AC unit will have to work harder to compensate for the large difference in desired temperature, using a lot of energy and putting wear on the system.
Smart Thermostats Are a Game Changer
One effective solution to improve the energy-saving capabilities of an air conditioning system and save on cooling costs is to swap out an old thermostat for a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats are an excellent tool for keeping temperatures steady while making automatic adjustments to save on energy bills. Smart thermostats are also incredibly customizable, giving homeowners more flexibility in controlling the temperature at home.
Another fantastic feature of smart thermostats is that most of them can be connected to an app on a smartphone. These apps allow homeowners to keep track of their home’s energy usage through historical data collected by the smart thermostat. The app is also particularly useful for homeowners who are away for extended periods because it allows them to remotely control their home’s thermostat to save energy. These sophisticated applications allow homeowners to set, change and track their home’s HVAC operations and energy usage from anywhere and keep their energy bills in check.
About Morrow Mechanical
Morrow Mechanical has over two decades of experience serving Spring, TX, and the surrounding communities. They provide same-day service, extended hours, and upfront pricing. Call them today for smart home thermostat installation in Spring, TX.
