The P. Gagnon & Son Blog

What summer thermostat temperature is best for your Maine home?

thermostatAccording to a study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, nine out of ten Americans say they’ve rarely (or never) programmed their thermostat because they’re not sure how to do it.

That’s a shame, because setting a programmable thermostat is one of the easiest ways to save 10 percent or more on your monthly energy costs – enough to offset the cost of installation in just a year or two.

Best settings for your programmable thermostat

Once you get a handle on using your programmable thermostat (if you need help, let us know), the U.S Department of Energy suggests the following settings for an optimum balance of comfort and savings:

Summer months:

  • When you’re home and awake, program air conditioning to 78°F.
  • Program the AC to shut off during the hours you’re out of the house.

Winter months:

  • When you’re home and awake, set the thermostat for 68°F.
  • Lower temperatures by 10° for the hours you’re asleep or out of the house.

Overall:

Program heat or A/C to shut off 20-30 minutes before you leave home each day; return them to normal comfort levels 20 to 30 minutes before you come home.*

Program reductions in heating or cooling to begin 60 minutes before you go to sleep; return them to normal comfort levels 30 minutes before you awaken.

* If you have a smart thermostat, you can control your home’s temperature from your phone or PDA – contact us today to learn more about smart thermostats for your Southern Maine or Seacoast NH-area home.

Be smart and save on your monthly energy bills with a programmable thermostat! Want to save even more? Contact us today to learn about high efficiency cooling equipment installation options – including high-SEER ductless mini-split systems!

P. Gagnon & Son – your air conditioning installation and maintenance experts in South Berwick, Sanford, York, Dover, Durham, Hampton, Rochester and surrounding towns in Southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire.