Why Raising the Thermostat Settings in the Summer is Smart

1. Why Raising the Thermostat Settings in the Summer is Smart One of our goals at WG Speeks is to help our customers enjoy comfort without wasting energy. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Having annual AC maintenance is an excellent way to save money because a tuned-up AC unit runs efficiently, keeping wasted energy at bay. But there is another way you can begin saving energy (and money) with your AC, and it doesn’t require much more than understanding the best way to set and program your cooling system using the thermostat. Unfortunately, a lot of people misunderstand the correct way a thermostat works, causing them to waste energy and be uncomfortable. One of the biggest errors people make is lowering the thermostat to a very low temperature whenever the house feels warm. This is not good because very cold settings do nothing to make the air conditioning system work harder or faster at delivering cooling; it only makes the AC’s compressor run longer until the thermostat senses the goal has been reached. This wastes power and results in a house that’s too cold.

2. The second problem is that the larger the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of the house, the faster the house gains heat. When you set the thermostat temperature higher, you close the difference between the two and slow down heat entering the house. This makes it easier to maintain cooler indoor temperatures without requiring the almost constant running of the AC’s energy-draining compressor. What should you set your thermostat at? During times when you’re at home, keep your thermostat at 78 degrees. You can adjust it up and down to be comfortable, but the higher you keep it, the better. For when you are not home, keep your house around 7 degrees warmer. Sticking to these settings should save you 10% over the summer. Let WG Speeks assist you with your air conditioning system this summer so you can stay cool without breaking the bank. Call us today at 804.276.2800 and see why we’ve been the reliable Richmond, VA heating and air conditioning experts since 1943.