What should you keep your thermostat at in the summer

Maximize home comfort and savings by having an expert rewire your thermostat into a better position and consider a smart thermostat for more control over your energy use and costs. With additional functions, smart thermostats are more sophisticated than a simple regulator of indoor temperatures.

Many smart thermostats come with a variety of features including:. Heat pumps are a popular option in Portland. With our moderate weather, heat pumps transfer heat indoors during the winter months and move indoor heat outdoors in the summer. Heat pumps are considered highly efficient with SEER ratings that are equal to an air conditioner. The main advantage of a heat pump is that it both heats and cools in one unit.

As an economical source of heat during the winter air is free! Try experimenting with different temperatures by turning up your thermostat a degree each day to find a higher temperature you can live with. The smaller the difference between inside and outside temperatures means you will spend less on summer cooling costs. Also, keep cooking heat outside with grilled meals. By avoiding things that cause heat buildup during the day — dishwashers, clothes dryers, ovens, and stovetop cooking — you keep your AC unit from working overtime to maintain comfortable temperatures.

Need a smart thermostat? We can install one to help optimize your system. If you need air conditioning maintenance we are ready to help you save money and keep surprise breakdowns away. People leave their thermostats at constant temperatures for various reasons. But as it turns out, the only real pro to keeping your thermostat one temperature is convenience.

The biggest takeaway here is that leaving your thermostat at a consistent temperature is actually an inefficient way to run your HVAC when your at home. In most cases, leaving the thermostat temperature constant is aimed at keeping the thermal energy heat inside the homes constant. Consequently, inside the house will often be warmer than the outside. Heat is transferred from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration.

The higher the temperature difference between the two points, the faster the heat loss to the surrounding area. The same applies to house temperatures. The higher the temperature inside compared to the outside, the more rapidly energy leaks out. So yes, feel free to lower and raise the temperature multiple times throughout the day to your comfort.

For example, you may be perfectly comfortable at 80 degrees while working on your computer in the morning, but once you start cleaning the house in the afternoon, 75 degrees is better. But coming home to make dinner and relax with your family, 78 is more comfortable. Go ahead! These changes are fine for your air conditioning unit. But following these general rules of thumb can help you do both:.

So, if you are out of the house during the day or for multiple days, turn up that temperature!