Everybody knows that the summers in Texas are scorching. During the season when the weather is at its harshest, it can be easy to let your household energy costs get out of hand. The more heavily you and your family rely on your air conditioner, the higher the electricity usage will be, and the more you’ll be paying when the monthly bills come around. Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep your home comfortable year-round without needing to sacrifice your comfort.
One of those measures is being strategic about how you use your thermostat. If you’re smart about the way you set your household thermostat during the hottest times of the year, you can save money, stay comfortable, and keep your cooling system from becoming overworked.
For obvious reasons, you’re going to need some help from your air conditioner to stay cool and comfortable during the Texas summer. However, if you consistently keep the thermostat below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s going to require a lot of energy and put heavy pressure on your cooling system. If possible, the best thing you can do is find a happy medium. Whenever you or anyone in your family is hanging out at home, consider setting the thermostat as high as you can while still being comfortable. Every person is different, and you don’t want to be sitting around sweaty and miserable in your home. That said, Energy Star recommends keeping your thermostat set to 78 degrees when you are home during the day. Doing so will allow you to maintain affordable energy bills throughout the summer.
You’ll have even better opportunities to save energy when you’re sleeping or spending time out of the house. If you’re able to raise your thermostat’s setting by five to seven degrees each night when you go to bed, it will add up to significant savings over the course of an entire summer. When you’re away at work or out running errands, though, the most cost-effective choice is to turn your thermostat off entirely. Running your air conditioner isn’t cheap, and if no one’s home to enjoy the cool air, it doesn’t make much sense to use the electricity.
When you’re dealing with the scorching heat of the Texas summer, the best way to save energy is by creating smart habits and sticking with them.
