Go Ahead, Turn Down That Thermostat

STATEWIDE -

As winter fast approaches, most New Englanders have home heating costs on their minds. How much is it going to increase? And what to do about it? Although fuel prices are at a record high this season, there are things households can do to reduce their energy usage when related to home heating. In fact, one simple trick that can help lower costs is to turn down the thermostat while sleeping or not at home.

There has long been debate about whether turning the thermostat down low actually saves money and energy. Some may have heard the claim that the energy a furnace or boiler expends when starting and stopping is more than if the device maintains a steady temperature. However, that conventional wisdom actually doesn’t bear out. The amount of money saved by turning the thermostat down during “off-peak” hours vastly outweighs that startup energy consumption, making the opposite of that “conventional wisdom” to when they host a NEPSAC playoff game Wednesday, November 16. Go Bulldogs!

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Berwick Moore, 80 min, 2GA

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be true. When recovering from a setback, the burner spends more time running in the “optimal combustion efficiency zone,” delivering more energy to the home with fewer emissions.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, consumers can save as much as 10% a year on heating by simply turning the thermostat back 7-10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours a day. During winter, the lower the temperature inside the home, the slower the heat loss. If the thermostat temperature stays low for longer periods of time, such as when the household is away at work or sleeping at night, consumers can end up saving energy and thus reduce their heating bills over time. One energy-saving trick in the wintertime is to have the thermostat set at 68°F during waking hours and setting it lower while asleep or away from home.

For those with a programmable thermostat or the means to install one, this type of routine savings can be even easier. The thermostat can be set as low as is comfortable, with the setpoint lowered even further during “off hours”. Some smart thermostats even have occupancy sensors and will set back automatically when the home is empty.

Turning down thermostats is just one way to save on energy and heating costs at home. Here are some others: Reverse ceiling fans to pull down circulating warm air. Replace the furnace’s filters regularly to save on electricity. Seal up any air leaks or holes, which can save an average household up to $166 annually. Prioritize the “ABCs” of weatherproofing by starting in the attic, then the basement, then the center of the home. Ensure that any heat sources can deliver heat without restriction by keeping furniture away from forced air vents, baseboard heaters and radiators. Add area rugs in rooms with cold floors to improve comfort without having to drastically turn up the thermostat. Keep draperies and shades on southfacing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight in, and closed at night to keep the chill from cold windows out.

Overall, reducing heat usage is a great way to save on costly bills and to be more ecofriendly. In New England, where the winter months can be long and cold, heating accounts for 30-50% of a household’s annual energy costs. Additionally, home heating and cooling is responsible for nearly 441 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. So don’t be afraid to see how low you can go on that thermostat dial!

Article content provided by GREENWorks, a publication of the NH Department of Environmental Services. For more information, visit www.des.nh.gov.

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