Here we are in the dog days of summer, and I bet you’re complaining about how large the electric bill is because you’re running the air conditioner to keep your Waterford, MI home comfortable. Have you considered that you could be part of the problem because of the temperature your thermostat is set at?

How cool is too cool?

Clearly a comfortable temperature is a very subjective thing, but there are some guidelines we can talk about. The experts say setting the air conditioner to 78℉ is a good compromise between comfort and energy savings. Right now, I can hear some of you gasping for air because many thermostats are set much lower than that during the cooling season. For sheer comfort, the ideal temperature is from 70 to 75℉ but there are some ways to fudge that.

Gradual changes

When the temperature outside in Waterford, MI is 85 or 90 with high humidity, walking into a house that’s 78℉ with low humidity is going to feel pretty good. But if you are used to 72 degrees you may not feel that way. The best way to adjust your thermostat setting is gradually. Raise it a degree or two and give yourself a few days to acclimate, then raise it again. You’ll hardly notice the difference and you might find you can be very comfortable once you get used to 78 degrees.

Make the house feel cooler

A great way to do this is with fans. Ceiling fans are ideal, but table and floor fans will also work. Fans do not cool the air but they make it feel cooler so you can bump the thermostat setting up another degree or two. Make sure to use blinds and drapes to keep the sun from streaming in through windows and heating the house up. 

The savings add up

Here’s something to think about when you open the electric bill. Each degree you raise the thermostat setting during the summer saves about one percent in terms of energy use. That should make it a bit easier to adjust to that 78 degree for air conditioning your Waterford, MI home.

Programmable thermostat

Make good use of the programming feature to adjust the temperature when the house is empty, but don’t go overboard. You don’t want to let the house get too warm while you’re away. It will take a lot of electricity to cool it back down. A good rule of thumb is to turn the thermostat up five degrees while you’re away.

Here to answer your questions

Kotz Heating, Cooling & Plumbing is always here to help with any home comfort issues you might have. For more great information be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.