We all know how high air conditioning bills can get during the summer in Florida, but winter in the sunshine state is a little bit different. While the temperatures here don’t usually drop to insanely freezing numbers during the winter months, it can still get chilly at night, and many homeowners want to turn their heat on.
While living in Florida means you don’t get to fully experience all of the seasons, there are still some tips and tricks you can take advantage of during the winter months to save energy while also keeping your home at a comfortable temperature.
If you struggle during this time of year when it comes to setting your thermostat, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll be sharing some best practices you can follow to keep your household and your bank account happy this season.
Thermostat Setting During the Day
Many homeowners think that in order to save money on heating bills, they need to set their thermostat to a very low temperature just to save a few dollars. Don’t have this mindset! Your home should be comfortable and you should never feel too cold or too warm just to save some money.
Start by setting your thermostat to 72 degrees and see how you feel. If you think you can lower the temperature, try lowering it to 67 or 68 degrees when you’re home. This might not feel like much of a difference in terms of temperature, but it can make a difference in your heating bills.
Pro tip: For each degree you lower your thermostat, you can save up to 3% on your heating bill.
Thermostat Setting While You Sleep
Everyone bundles up in blankets at night during the winter, right? Throw on some fuzzy socks, add a few blankets to your bed, and turn that thermostat down to 62-67 degrees while you’re sleeping. With that added warmth from the blankets, you can afford to lower your thermostat a few degrees at night.
Heading out of Town?
If you’re heading out of town or planning a family vacation during the winter, don’t completely shut off your heat. Many homeowners think that turning their heater off while they’re out of the house will save them money, but it will actually use up more energy when you turn your system back on because it will need to work extra hard to get your house to the temperature you want it to be.
That being said, if you’re planning to be out of your house for an extended period of time, keep your heat on, but turn it down to a temperature between 62-65 degrees. This is warm enough to keep your house heated, but it won’t be too high of a temperature that will cause your heating bills to skyrocket.
At Florida Southern Air, we always want our clients to be comfortable in their home, no matter what time of year it is. If your heater hasn’t been working properly this season or you need to schedule your seasonal maintenance appointment, we can help. Give us a call at (813) 535-5332 or fill out our online contact form to speak with one of our team members today.