What Is The Best Summer Thermostat Setting?

Beat the summer heat without exploding your home energy budget.

It’s natural to want to run your central air conditioning nonstop when the weather is this hot and steamy in northern New Jersey. But electricity rates have been rising over the last few years, and everyone is looking for ways to cut down on energy use.

At JW Pierson Co., we help families in Essex, Passaic and Bergen Counties save energy dollars without compromising their home comfort. And one of the best ways to reduce your electricity usage in the summer is by being sensible with your thermostat setting.

The ideal summer home temperature

While each home and family is different, we have found that a good temperature for homes in the summer is 78 degrees Fahrenheit. This thermostat setting tends to balance comfort and cost savings. Try setting your home to this temperature; we think you’ll see genuine energy usage reductions.

Should you change your home’s temperature a lot?

We recommend that you limit how often you “touch that thermostat” because it’s easy to end up cycling between too-warm and overly cool settings, which will only increase your A/C-related costs.

With that said, there are smart ways to adjust your home temperatures. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends turning back thermostat settings by 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day, which can lower your heating-and-cooling costs by up to 10 percent a year.

Using a programmable thermostat, you can schedule these adjustments for when you’re asleep or out of the house. Even better, a Wi-Fi-enabled smart thermostat like the RedLINK Wireless Comfort from Honeywell (which the Pierson team installs) lets you adjust your settings from your phone. The RedLINK even adjusts your home’s temperature when utility prices are higher!

How else can you keep your cooling costs down?

Here are a few easy ways to reduce your cooling costs without sacrificing comfort:

1. Close the blinds during the day to prevent sunshine from baking your living space.
2. Turn on the ceiling fan. It makes your room feel cooler for only pennies a day.
3. Check your air filters monthly. Dirty, clogged filters restrict airflow and cause your A/C equipment to run more often.
4. Add a dehumidifier to your home. These relatively inexpensive devices will lower the humidity in your rooms and help you feel less sticky.
5. Don’t forget your annual A/C maintenance visit. When a licensed HVAC technician from JW Pierson tunes up your cooling equipment, it will run more efficiently and lower your energy costs. Additionally, regular service will decrease the likelihood of a system breakdown and extend your A/C service life. Your annual tune-up is already paid for if you are enrolled in a Pierson A/C service plan. All you need to do is schedule it.

How long has it been since your central A/C equipment received service? Reach out to us right now to schedule your tune-up.