Should I turn my heater down when I leave my home?

Question

I want to save money on my utility bill, so I've been turning the thermostat down from about 71 to 67 every time I leave.

Is this efficent or am I wasting my time, or worse, using more energy to heat my home? Please explain why.

Answer 1

The short answer is YES.  You are saving energy by turning the temperature down to some level (even 62F).  No, you are not using more energy to heat your home.

The explanation (which you asked for, remember) is a bit complicated. Sorry if this gets confusing.

The reason that turning the thermostat down saves energy is because heat leaks out of the house more slowly when the room temperature is lower. The energy that is "saved" while the temperature is dropping is "spent" again when the temperature is turned back up. It's only after the temperature stabilizes at the lower level that you really start to save energy.

If you turn off your heat, and the temperature in the house just continues to drop until you turn the heat back on, then you aren't saving much energy. Every degree that the temperature drops is just another degree that you need to reheat when you start the furnace back up. But if the temperature drops to some level and stays there, then you save energy the whole time that the temperature is reduced. Less heat is lost to the outside (because of the lower room temperature) and that is where the savings come in.

And while a programmable thermostat would make your life MUCH easier, I don't think that it would save more energy (unless you sometimes forget to turn the temperature down.) By turning it down manually, you are making sure that the theremostat turns down the very minute you leave the house and doesn't come back up until the moment you return. No automatic thermostat schedule will ever match your personal schedule as exactly.

Answer 2

You're doing a good thing, my power company as do many other say that for every degree you lower your thermostat it can reduce your electric bill by 3 %.To make this a really effective thing for you make certain that you have done all the other cost saving things also.Your power company will be glad to provide you if a list of cost saving ideas. One of the biggest energy eater is your hot water heater, check to see that it is set at about 125. When you check it remember that there are to thermostats of an electric hot water heater.

Answer 3

i would say call pg&e or what ever energy company you are with and have them break it down to you as far as the time , energy and the pay.....That way you get it from the horses mouth......Good Luck

Answer 4

even 65 when you r not home is a good idea.

Answer 5

yes

Answer 6

walking into a freezing home reminds me what it must been like 300 years ago. feels so good

Answer 7

no..if heat is free...

Answer 8

You should turn it down, and your smart by not turing it down to something like 60.   Turning it down a few degrees will save you money.  If you turn it was down, you'll negate any savings because the heater will have to crank for probably an hour to get up to 71.

At least my heat does that and I only have a 1000 sq. foot home.  It's a beach house, and if when I'm not there the heat is set at 55.  when I go there in the winter, and turn the heat up to 65-66, it runs for at least 45 minutes.  Imagine how long it would have to run for a bigger house.

Answer 9

yes turn it down to around 65 when no one is home. dont jsut turn it off that will make your bill higher.