Key Maintenance - Tip #36

Should I Turn Off My Heat When I’m Not Home? (sourced various websites)

It may sound like a viable solution to lower your heating bills, but does it actually save you money? While no one likes to come home to a bitter cold house, turning down your thermostat could save you some serious cash in the long run. However, turning it down too much or completely off can have the opposite effect. The HVAC system must work long and hard to bring the temperature to a comfortable level. This results in excess wear and tear on your heating system.

Some studies have found that constantly adjusting the heat actually uses more energy than leaving the thermostat alone. This is likely due to your heating system having to start and stop frequently, causing the system to run more inefficiently. Your furnace should run at longer, but fewer intervals to save on heating energy.

Several reminders –

1. Hot air rises. Bring the heated air back down towards the floor by running your ceiling fan in reverse (i.e. clockwise).

2. If you own a fireplace, make sure that it is not allowing cold air in or warm air to escape. Close the damper when the fireplace is not in use.

3. Consider a programmable thermostat is you don’t already have one. With this device, you can set it to automatically adjust to various temperatures at different times of the day.

4. Proper maintenance is key to keeping your home warm and comfortable and your energy costs manageable.

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