What is the BEST Way to Save Energy on Heating Bill?

Question

I asked this question a couple of days ago, but I am not 100% satisfied with the answers I received. I'm not sure if everyone understood the question. So here it goes again. Thanks in advance for answering.

What is the BEST method for saving gas on your utility bill...a) setting the thermostat at a CONSTANT temperature (doesn't matter the degrees) ALL DAY...or...b) using the SETBACK method and have the thermostat AUTOMATICALLY drop the temperature 6-8 degrees when I'm at work/sleeping/etc and then RAISE it back when I am awake or come home?

The setback method happens automatically, everyday. I don't touch the thermostat. It's programmed and left alone.

In the SUMMER, experts and research says it's cheaper to set the temperature at ONE SETTING and LEAVE IT ALONE, no matter if you're at work or sleeping. So why is it different for the winter, with the invention of the newer, programmable thermostats?

I hope to get some real good answers, and maybe some proof. Thanks.

Answer 1

I use the setback method and live in Boston, so we can have some brutal winters here. My roomates and I also leave the heat on low most of the time even when we are home. We have both have a small energy saving space heater. If I am cold I turn it on for fifteen minutes and it warms whatever room I am in, right up. The energy bill stays the same but the gas bill is much lower. Your gas is working twice as hard in the winter to keep your house warm. Natures a b***h isn't it.

Answer 2

After reading about your thermostat settings and your question I will give this one a shot. The thermostat setting in the summer will not matter too much if you have a modern type AC. The reason is that while most people are at work their houses heat up and when you come home the AC has to work very hard to cool the house back down and the net energy saved is 0.
As far as the winter time saving on your heating bill can be accomplished by using modern thermostats - the real difference is that the excess cooling capacity of AC units is smaller than normal heating units. So heaters can easily "rev up" and boost the temp 6-8 degrees, but for an AC unit to do the same thing with cooling it is much harder.
Now you probably had lots of the standard things when you first asked the question like: Insulate, caulk windows, window plastics, weather striping and closing rooms ... but I am guessing you wanted to know what I explained in the first part of my answer. Hope this helps. MAC

Answer 3

There are several reasons why this is a difficult question without a LOT of technical information about your particular home; exterior construction [brick vs. vinyl makes a big difference for eg.], home's orientation relative to South, window area and locations, general thermal mass of the home, insulation type-location and quantity, type of heating/cooling system and on & on & on. In GENERAL, a heat pump system is left at one temperature. This is because most HP systems use "supplemental heat" when the temperature drops below a point at which there is little or no "heat" to be "gained" by a heat pump's operating cycle; usually around 38 degrees F. Supplemental heat is simply an electric heating element (similar to a toaster's grids) that kick on when the temperature in a home has dropped too low. Go watch your electric meter when these kick on and you'll see why you want to avoid this. I used to have a heat pump and when I understood how they worked, I jumped the strips in the thermostat to prevent them from kicking on and just waited longer for the house to warm back up. If you have a gas or oil burning ststem, AND you have good insulation AND you get some solar gain, you'll probably save money by turning the temp down as long as you're gone eight hours or more. I found that I am very comfortable with the house chilly all the time but I wear warm clothes. I think it's healthier and I breathe better (only people with sinus problems would understand this probably!). Electric blankets are also wonderful; they use very little electricity and I think it's great to slide in a bed at night when the room's chilly and you've "pre-heated" the bed to a cozy temp. I use one downstairs when I'm watching TV too. Hope this helps some.

Answer 4

In the winter I set my heat back to 60 degrees during the day and open the blinds to let the sun in. My heat comes on little if at all during the day. The solar heat is free and does keep the house warm. I keep the thermostat at 60 for sleeping but it moves up to 65 in the early morning so the house is warm for showering/ bathing and then it goes back to 60 when I leave for work. If it's a cloudy day, I leave the thermostat at 65. My energy bills are less than half of what my neighbors pay. If I'm chilly, I'll put a sweater on.

Answer 5

Its Better to maintain a steady temp during the summer due to the vast amout of energy it takes to cool down a house. so cooling a few degrees is cheaper than trying to cool 10 degrees.

The reason for not doing that during the winter is that it doesnt take as long to heat the home.

One way to save money during the summer is to cool the house in the coolest part of the day. get it to the tempature you want. The reason being that its not fighting with high tempatures of midday to cool.

To save money during the winter would be to lower the setpoint a few degrees and wear more clothing or use a blanket.

http://www.askmen.com/money/investing_100/149_investing.html

Answer 6

Carrier hvac site says
55-70 for heating
75-90 for cooling.
more its kept controlled=energy saved
your setback cooling theory sounds like myth.
read another site that said set it back as often as you can.....duh
air infiltration is biggest energy loser

Answer 7

Like you, ours is not touched and is programmed.
Have you checked with your local energy department for advice? Is your system working properly? Has your furnance been cleaned/checked. Should be cleaned every 2 years, and inspected yearly.
Hope this helps.

Answer 8

If I am not at home I turn it down to the lowest , as long as it's not cold enough to freeze. Why have heat on if noones home.