Home Temperature Constant Costs - J.A. Bertsch Heating and Cooling (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to keep your house at constant temperature? ›

Keeping your home at a constant temperature generally means that your HVAC system will run constantly to meet it. This means that your furnace or air conditioner may run when you're asleep, at work, or out of the house. This wastes more energy than the minimal amount that you might save by having it constantly run.

What the experts say. Our most trustworthy port of call for all things energy-efficiency, the Energy Saving Trust confirms that leaving your heating on all day in order to save money is a myth. According to them, having your heating on only when you need it is always best.

Setting different temperatures for day or night is a technique to save energy and costs with furnaces and boilers, but not with heat pumps. Unlike other heating equipment, heat pumps are most efficient when allowed to hold a steady temperature.

The ideal room temperature may differ slightly for everyone, but choosing between 18 - 20°C should keep your home healthy and comfortable. Everyone responds differently depending on age, health and seasonal changes, but everyone should be happy as long as you keep each room at the right level to suit its purpose.

In fact, for every degree you cool your home, it could result in an increase of more than 1% in your total monthly energy costs. Cooling your home to 78 degrees rather than 72 degrees can cut your electricity bill by more than 25% in summer.

But as it turns out, the only real pro to keeping your thermostat one temperature is convenience. Sure, when you're away on vacation or gone for the weekend, the consistent temperature is efficient, but when you're at home, there are really no additional benefits.

In a standard home, heat loss is quite significant compared to the heat you're putting into it through your boilers and radiators. If you leave your heating on low constantly, some homes may struggle to reach the desired temperature meaning fuel will be burnt for long periods of time.

Does turning the heat on and off raise the bill each month? The answer is no. Adjusting your thermostat to lower settings when you're not home or when you're asleep can actually lead to significant heating bill savings.

As gas is generally cheaper than electricity – and modern gas boilers are more energy-efficient than their older counterparts – gas central heating systems are often the most cost-effective solution for heating your home. This is especially true when compared to electric heaters alone (read our gas vs.

Heat pumps do not operate as efficiently when temperatures drop to between 25 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit for most systems. A heat pump works best when the temperature is above 40. Once outdoor temperatures drop to 40 degrees, heat pumps start losing efficiency, and they consume more energy to do their jobs.

What is the downside to a heat pump? ›

Heat Pumps Can Be Noisy

While modern heat pumps are designed to operate quietly, they can still produce more noise than some traditional heating systems, especially older or less efficient models.

For winter heating, aim for the lowest comfortable setting, around 68-70°F when occupied. Recommended configuration includes: Set the system to “heat” or “auto” and increase the temperature to 68-70°F during occupied hours. Program the thermostat to lower temperatures to around 62-65°F when away or asleep.

The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F to 70°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.

If you're cold even though your thermostat indicates you shouldn't be, your furnace likely isn't the problem. In most cases, it's working just fine. It's your home that needs attention. Lack of insulation, severe air leakage, and/or unbalanced ductwork are frequently to blame.

The ideal thermostat temperature in the winter is 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you're at home. Energy.gov suggests that 68 degrees is a good room temperature while you're awake at home but recommends lowering it while you're asleep or away.

What temperature should you keep your house at? Or better yet, “What is the most energy saving temperature to set my thermostat at?” According to ENERGYSTAR.gov, the ideal home temperature should be between 70 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

The fact is, you'll use far more energy maintaining a steady temperature around the clock than turning your thermostat lower when your home is unoccupied. This is because maintaining the temperature takes more energy, especially at night.

Natural gas is likely the cheapest way to heat your home, provided you have natural gas in your area. A natural gas furnace costs $30 to $60 per month to run, which makes it 30% to 85% cheaper to run than an oil, electric, or propane furnace.

Keeping your central heating on low vs turning it on & off

According to the experts at the Energy Savings Trust, the idea that you can save money by keeping your central heating permanently on low is a myth. This is mainly because of problems with home insulation.