Thermostats are connected to furnaces, air conditioners and water heaters which can all be adjusted for efficiency and savings. They may also have batteries which when low may cause the furnace to turn off and on more than necessary. There are also thermostats for egg incubators, gas wall heaters, propane powered greenhouse heaters and 'tankless' water heaters.
Being familiar with how your thermostat works, what your needs are and what the highest and lowest temperature one's household can live with is the first step in obtaining maximum energy savings. Each type of thermostat has unique purpose through which energy savings may be garnered.
Appliance and utility thermostats
• Furnace Thermostats
Adjusting thermostat temperatures below 68 degrees is efficient in winter but only if the furnace is tuned up and has a new air filter. An inefficient furnace will do little for a well adjusted thermostat even though a well set thermostat will help reduce energy losses. In the case of furnace thermostats, the furnace can be set to turn on only when the temperature drops to a degree below the temperature setting rather than the same temperature as the thermostat setting. This half a degree to one degree difference can have an effect after a furnace turns on every 30 minutes 24 hours a day for several months of the year.
• Water Heater Thermostats
In the case of water heaters there are vacation, warm, very warm and hot settings. In the summer the warm setting can be quite sufficient to obtain a pleasant shower and in the winter it takes a little more 'umph' to warm up the water and keep it that way. Adjusting a water heater thermostat alongside a furnace thermostat appropriately can save money.
• Air Conditioner Thermostats
In the summer a setting of 72 degrees helps conserve energy as many central air conditioners simply aren't capable of cooling a house much below this anyway. Be being flexible with the range of temperature one is willing to endure through a slightly higher thermostat setting one can save money and energy.
Additional thermostat energy saving tips
Keeping a thermostat operational and fully functional is important in getting the most efficient use out of it. In light of this, being familiar with the thermostats programming and manual may be of particular relevance when correctly setting temperature changes in the home. Some of the following tips may be common sense to some, but knew to others.
Even those who are familiar with thermostat may benefit from becoming familiar with how temperature is measured and when a signal is sent to a furnace. For example, if the temperature is set for 69 degrees Fahrenheit the furnace may either turn on when the temperature hits 68 degrees Fahrenheit or after a period of time which the thermostat is programmed to prevent the temperature from reaching 68 degrees. This small difference in thermostat programming can add to energy costs.
• Replacing old thermostats
Replacing old thermostats with sophisticated programmable thermostats can help save energy by programming on and off times like a socket timer i.e. to only turn on when they are needed.
• Knowing the seasons
Typical temperatures for one's region and how one's home responds to temperature changes all help forecast when to set a thermostat to what temperature setting to maximize on energy savings.
• When a home is empty
During long periods of unoccupied home time it is also not necessary to have an overly warm setting as the walls don't really care how cold it is and plants and some animals can generally handle temperatures several degrees lower than people.
• Turning the thermostat up
Sometimes a small uptick in temperature during late spring through early fall is a good idea in several climates as this ensures the furnace will not go on at all for those little dips below 68 degrees which might not matter all that much in the middle of the night when everyone is supposed to be sleeping. The same applies for air conditioning in mid-late spring and early fall.
Summary
Thermostats don't have a brain and are relatively simple devices but they can help save energy if set and/or programmed in certain ways. Setting a thermostat for maximum energy settings is one step in greener, more environmentally conscious and energy efficient living. By applying the above techniques and tips, one is better equipped to more effectively manage a thermostats temperature settings for more energy efficient performance.
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