{"id":36248,"date":"2021-04-27T12:23:59","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T17:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.peopleselectric.coop\/?page_id=36248"},"modified":"2021-05-27T13:18:27","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T18:18:27","slug":"heating-cooling","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.peopleselectric.coop\/energy-savings\/ways-to-save\/heating-cooling\/","title":{"rendered":"Heating & Cooling"},"content":{"rendered":"

Because you spend the largest portion of your energy dollars staying warm or cool, you\u2019ll save the most on energy by taking steps to use your heating and cooling systems more efficiently. Follow these tips, and you can reduce your heating and cooling bills by as much as 50%.<\/p>\n

\"Heating
Heating and Cooling: The Biggest Piece of the Energy Pie
Adapted from the U.S. Department of Energy\u2019s Energy Savers booklet, available at the Department of Energy website<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Simple Steps You Can Take to Save on Heating and Cooling<\/h2>\n

There are many simple, low-cost (or no-cost) things you can do every day to reduce your use of energy for heating and cooling, such as setting your thermostat appropriately or using ceiling fans to circulate heated or cooled air more effectively.<\/p>\n

Set Your Thermostat on \u201cSavings\u201d<\/h3>\n

The single best way to reduce heating and cooling costs is to set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher in summer and 68 degrees or lower in winter. If you\u2019re keeping your thermostat at 72 degrees in the summer, consider this: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, raising that setting to 78 degrees could save you up to 47% on cooling costs.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll save additionally by greater adjustments to your thermostat (higher in summer, lower in winter) while you are away from home or asleep. When you return or wake up, don\u2019t set it at an unnaturally lower or higher setting to try to cool or heat the house faster. That doesn\u2019t work; it just cools or heats the house more than you need, which uses more energy.<\/p>\n

Do keep in mind that if you have an infant or an older person living in your home, they may require cooler or warmer temperatures to stay healthy. Use your common sense.<\/p>\n

Fact:<\/strong> Every degree above 78 that you set your thermostat in summer will save up to 3% on cooling costs.<\/p>\n

\"thermostatProgrammable Thermostats<\/h4>\n

For maximum energy efficiency in heating or cooling, use a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the setting when you leave the house or go to bed and then turn it back to normal when you return or wake up. Programmable thermostats range in cost from $45 to $100 plus, but can easily pay for themselves in energy savings.<\/p>\n

\n

Consider the Alternatives<\/h3>\n

The principle is simple: It\u2019s a lot cheaper to move air around than it is to heat or cool it. With that in mind, consider these ways to stay cool in summer and warm in winter without depending entirely on your central system.<\/p>\n