As that Minneapolis winter comes our way, your first instinct is to crank up the heat to stay warm. However, cranking up that heat can have a negative impact on your budget. We gathered a few ways to help you stay warm and save money with these thermostat tips.
Tip # 1: Keep it low at night and when you’re away
An easy tip is to keep your thermostat lower when you don’t need it as much. It may be hard to determine how low is too low. When going away for a weekend or more, you can lower the temperature to 55 degrees. It will keep your pipes warm enough to not freeze, but will help you save on energy costs. At night, setting it to around 62 degrees can actually help you sleep better and save money. Plan on setting it to 68 degrees during the day. When you are entertaining guests, you may want to turn it up to 72 degrees for everyone’s comfort.
Tip # 2: Gradually lower your home temperature
If you really want to save money, you can gradually lower the temperature of your home. Start at 68 degrees and lower it one degree every other day. Over time, you will adjust to lower temperatures and not need to turn up the heat. Sweaters and blankets are also important to keeping you warm without putting that stress on your furnace.
Tip # 3: Open the curtains during the day
Not every day will be a sunny day, but if the sun is shining, open your curtains to let the sun naturally warm your house. It’s a free way to keep warm. Be sure to close them at night to keep that heat locked in your house.
Tip # 4: Upgrade your thermostat and/or your furnace
Furnaces will become more inefficient after 15 years of use. If your furnace is that old, you could save a lot of money this winter by upgrading to newer models. The same goes for your thermostat. A programmable thermostat can set what temperature you want in advance and help you save money. For more information about new furnaces and thermostats, contact us. We are happy to help.
Little changes to your thermostat settings can help you save on your energy bills in the end. If you’re ready to put these tips into practice and upgrade your thermostat, we’re ready to help. We sell and install programmable thermostats for an energy efficient home.
