My boyfriend seems to think that turning the heat wayyyyyy down (to like 50-55) when you leave the house saves money. I say it is a waste because we both leave around 8:30am, but I get home at 12:30pm and then turn it back up and I believe it takes more energy to get the house heated again than it does to just leave it at 65 all day long. What do you think? Also, when we go to bed he turns it way down too, so in the morning I am freezing my butt off in the shower and turning the heat on only for an hour and a half, TOTAL WASTE in my opinion!
2007-12-12 10:28:00 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Yes, I agree with many answers, turning down the heat a few degrees while sleeping (not 10-15 tho!) can save with heating costs. We have a 1200 sqft. 2 brd. apt. and we have one of the rooms closed off for now, it will be a nursery in a few months! Brand new windows put in last year and have plastic over them. As for the type of heat, it's some ancient 1983 heater that blows the heat ONLY in the living room and kitchen, so we have heaters in our bedrooms. But it is adjustable with a thermostat, and he is actually going to HVAC school RIGHT NOW!!!!! hahaha! I'm not kidding either. So he should know better, RIGHT? Anyhow, thanks for all the answers, I'm gonna make him read this so I can feel right!
2007-12-13 06:47:17 · update #1
He has the right idea but too extreme.
The "unoccupied" (sleeping and away) temps should be just 3-5 degrees below your normal "occupied" temps that will save enrgy without costing too much to heat the place back up. A EnergyStar labeled programmable thermostat can make the timing easier for you if you can figure out how to program it.
Before you buy one, figure out what kind of heat you have ? electric, gas, oil, air or water ? heat pump ? furnace or boiler ?
The next best way to save money is seal up drafts or leaks and add insulation. Spray foam insulation in cans is an easy start but its a mess wear gloves goggles old clothes etc... good luck
2007-12-13 05:48:44 · answer #1 · answered by homedocny 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It really depends on what kind of furnace you have. If you have a furnace (electric or gas) then do as the other answers suggest and get a programable thermostat. You can set it to different temps at different times of the day and if you get a "7 day programable" you can set it differently for each day (like if one of you is home all day on certain days then it doesn't turn down the heat between 8:00 and 12:00). Plus, close off any rooms that you don't need heated to save energy. However, if you have a heat pump (where your air conditioner outside reverses to become your heater, too) then you want to set it at a set comfortable temp and leave it alone. This will keep your EMER HEAT from coming on saving you energy.
2007-12-12 15:06:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are using programmable thermostat, set it to 65 to 70 one hour before you wake up time and program it back to 50 to 55 after 8:30.
Buy a portal heater or install a heater in your bathroom (of course at a safe location, away from any water). If you afraid about over heat and catch a fire or forget turn it off, connect the heater to a timer. so only 7:30am to 8:00am it will has power. (you still should turn off the heater after you finished your shower)
Use those warming blankets on your bed (optional, connect it with a timer so it will turn off the power if you forgot turn it off)
2007-12-12 12:00:43 · answer #3 · answered by stranger2000 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. You save money. You pay for the heat loss of the building. The higher the heat, the grerater the heat loss, and the greater the cost factor.
Turning it down to 50 at night is great, saves money too. Then turn it up a little in the morning and back down as you leave. It's fun saving energy (lol).
2007-12-12 11:09:36 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are correct moving the temp. in a house from 50 to 68 takes a lot of heat energy, you are not only heating the air in the home but every inanimate object there in, the smart solution is to drop the temp 5 degrees below living temp, this also keeps the humidity level in the house low, therefore making it easier to raise the temperature when needed.
2007-12-12 12:50:31 · answer #5 · answered by Eamonn S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your right to a point. 50-55 is to low and it takes too long for the heat to recover because at that low temp even the walls, ceilings and floor become as cold as a refridgerator and the furnace not only has to reheat the air but the walls, floors and ceilings as well.
Dont know exactly how to help you with the part about "freezing my butt off in the shower " I'd have to have a closer look at that problem :-)
2007-12-12 10:42:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Generally, you are correct. Forced air is less of a problem since the air you are moving about in heats up fairly quickly. Force air is cheap when building but horribly inefficient over the homes life. I'd suggest a programmable thermostat that will turn on the heat a bit before you stagger out of bed (or make the boyfriend get out and turn it up for you).
2007-12-12 10:48:29 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Olivia, lot of high quality thoughts on the drapes and so on. in case you do have residing house windows that get midday day sunlight you do elect to drag the colors whether it extremely is no longer genuine windy outdoors. Direct sunlight warms carpets and couches and so on. It retains a splash radiant warmth for later in the day. close the colors while the sunlight starts getting low. a hearth place is an particularly IN-powerful heater. different than those geared up with those blowers, a hearth do no longer rarely do something. in spite of the blowers, they are quite costly to function. would desire to substantiate they are sparkling, and then have a good number of wood. reported you probably did no longer elect to lay our a fortune. it extremely is somewhat costly to place in. there is those those that do those retrofits, the place they installation an iron range, and run the vent up by way of the previous fire. You loose some residing area, reason the range is interior some ft. additionally would desire to have a steel protector for the floor, and an fence to maintain previous human beings, little ones and drunks removed from the range. you will get warmth from each little bit of wood, and it won't in simple terms flow up the chimney. A range radiates warmth all around
2016-10-11 04:03:57 · answer #8 · answered by Erika 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
turn it down not way down take just as much to get it to temp than just lowering it get a programable that way it will start getting warmer or cooler before you get home Im an HVAC tech
2007-12-12 10:35:11 · answer #9 · answered by dvdacmn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your right, set it at 68 and leave it alone,
2007-12-12 10:44:32 · answer #10 · answered by William B 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋