Do you turn the thermostat up or down for the heat to come on

Do you turn the thermostat up or down for the heat to come on

In general, the thermostat is a fairly simple device. This is especially true if you are still using an old manual thermostat with a dial and slider. If you want more heat in the winter, just turn up the thermostat and you'll get extra warmth. And when it's too hot? Turn the thermostat down. Simple, isn't it?

However, turning the thermostat up or down depending on how hot it is in the house at any given time wastes energy without providing more comfort; it can even shorten the life of the heating system because of the extra effort.

How thermostats work

We want you to be able to adjust your thermostat for maximum comfort and energy efficiency. But first we need to explain how a thermostat actually works. It's not like a car's accelerator: the harder you push it, the faster it goes.

A thermostat is basically a switch that turns your boiler or other heating system on and off. If you set the thermostat to a temperature higher than the current room temperature, the thermostat will turn the boiler on and run until the set temperature is reached.

If you set the thermostat higher, the heater will only run longer, will not produce more heat and will not heat your home faster. You should try to keep the thermostat at a set temperature, one for when people are home during the day and one for at night or when the house is unoccupied.

Understanding heat loss

Another reason it's not a good idea to set your thermostat at maximum in winter is that your home will lose heat faster when it's colder outside, which will make you colder and offset the greater comfort you intend to have.

"Where should I set my thermostat this winter?"

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it's recommended to set the temperature at 68 degrees F during the day, when people are home, and lower it about 8 degrees F at night, when everyone is asleep or the house is unoccupied.

Of course, personal preferences come into play here and there may be members of your family who prefer more heat, but we'll give a general recommendation that will save the most energy and money.

Consider a programmable thermostat

Using Wi-Fi, a smart thermostat or even a simple digital programmable thermostat can be very helpful. You set the program you want to turn on the heat and then you don't have to think about it anymore.

A smart thermostat makes this process even easier, as it learns from your heating (and cooling) habits and adjusts accordingly, creating its own energy-saving schedule based on your usage habits. Contact our team today to learn more.