Your thermostat controls about half your energy bill. Strategic settings deliver significant savings without sacrificing comfort.
Recommended Settings
Summer (Cooling) - **Home and awake**: 78°F - **Away or sleeping**: 85°F (or off)
Winter (Heating) - **Home and awake**: 68°F - **Away or sleeping**: 62-65°F
These EPA-recommended settings balance comfort with efficiency.
The Math Behind the Savings
Each degree of thermostat adjustment saves approximately 1-3% on your heating/cooling bill.
Example: If you typically set 72°F summer cooling and switch to 78°F, you'll save 6-18% on cooling costs.
Why These Temperatures?
78°F for Cooling Most people acclimate to 78°F within a few days. It's comfortable for light activity in typical clothing.
68°F for Heating 68°F is warm enough for comfort with normal indoor clothing. A light sweater makes it perfectly comfortable.
Smart Thermostat Strategies
Scheduled Programming Program around your routine: - Pre-cool/heat before waking - Setback when leaving for work - Return to comfort before arrival - Setback at bedtime
Geofencing Smart thermostats detect when you leave and return via your phone's location, automatically adjusting temperature.
Learning Features Some thermostats learn your preferences and schedule, optimizing automatically.
Remote Control Adjust settings from anywhere. Forgot to set back before vacation? No problem.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Cranking the thermostat Setting 60°F when you want 70°F doesn't cool faster—your AC runs at the same speed regardless. You'll just overshoot and waste energy.
Constant adjustments Frequent manual changes prevent your system from running efficiently. Set it and let it work.
Closing too many vents Closing more than 20% of vents creates pressure imbalances that strain your system.
Setting too extreme at night Aggressive setbacks require more energy to recover. A 5-8 degree setback is optimal.
What About Leaving Temperature Constant?
A persistent myth suggests maintaining constant temperature uses less energy than setbacks. This is false.
Heat loss is proportional to the temperature difference between inside and outside. Lower indoor temperatures mean less heat loss, so setbacks always save energy.
Fan Settings
"Auto" vs. "On" - **Auto**: Fan runs only during heating/cooling cycles (recommended) - **On**: Fan runs continuously
"Auto" saves energy and better dehumidifies in summer. "On" provides more consistent air circulation and filtration.
Maximizing Comfort at Higher Settings
At 78°F, enhance comfort with: - Ceiling fans (allow 4°F thermostat increase) - Lightweight clothing - Cold beverages - Reduced humidity (dehumidifiers if needed)
The right thermostat settings are a free way to cut energy costs. Combined with a programmable or smart thermostat, savings add up year after year.