Programmable Thermostats: Optimal Summer Settings for Your Home

Summer is a great time for family activities. It’s also typically one of the more expensive seasons to keep your home climate-controlled because of the increased air conditioning usage. Here at Robert B. Payne, Inc. we have lots of suggestions on how to make your HVAC unit run more efficiently. One of our strongest recommendations is to invest in programmable thermostats.

Save Money on Your Electric Bill: Install a Thermostat You Can Program

If your go-to solution for super hot summer days is to perpetually crank the A/C temperature down as low as it will go, you are creating two different problems for yourself:

1. You are most likely wasting lots and lots of extra electricity, but probably without receiving a significant change in your home’s overall interior temperature to offset the bigger utility bill.

2. You are putting excess strain on your air conditioning unit, which can lead to premature system repairs or even total system shutdown.

Every A/C unit has limitations. There are many variables involved, including the unit’s amount of refrigerant, airflow, and the addition of people or appliances to your home. Changes to any of these variables can have an impact. Unfortunately, lowering your thermostat more and more to try to compensate for this typically does far more harm than good. We recommend you set your thermostat to no lower than 68 degrees during the summer.

Using programmable thermostats can help you save on your utility bill without making you feel like you’re walking into a sauna when you get home. Program your thermostat to rise while you are at work, and come back down in time for you to arrive home. To learn more about programmable thermostats, or to schedule an appointment for any Fredericksburg HVAC services, contact Robert B. Payne, Inc. at 540-373-5876.