Setting up a daily schedule on your programmable thermostat makes it easy to save energy without the hassle of adjusting your thermostat setting up and down manually every day. The end of daylight saving time in early November can throw that programmed schedule of temperature setbacks off by an hour, depending on your particular thermostat model.
Some thermostats are designed to “fall back” automatically, but if yours doesn’t have this feature, you’ll need to adjust the timing of each scheduled setback so your thermostat is prepared for the winter heating season.
Additional Recommended Preparations for the Winter Season
When you’re making thermostat programming changes to account for daylight saving time, it’s also the ideal time to adjust your daily temperature settings to maximize your home comfort during the heating season. Here are some helpful temperature and setback suggestions:
- Set the temperature at 68 degrees for the time you and your family normally wake up in the morning.
- Program a setback of 10 degrees for those days and periods when everyone is at work or school, and the house isn’t occupied.
- Have the thermostat raise the temperature so it’s back at 68 degrees when family members arrive back home at the end of the day.
- For overnight periods when everyone is sleeping, schedule a temperature drop of 15 degrees. This can help you reap the greatest possible benefit from your thermostat, since it saves the most energy when you have daily 15-degree setbacks for eight-hour periods.
- If you need to deviate from your usual routine occasionally, use the override feature rather than making a programming change so the thermostat will revert back to your usual schedule automatically.
- When you’re finished making any necessary scheduling changes, it’s also a good opportunity to replace your thermostat batteries. While you’re at it, test your carbon monoxide detectors and put fresh batteries in each safety device too, so you have peace of mind that they’re working properly during the heating season.
If you need help preparing the thermostat in your Lorain home for daylight saving time, contact us today at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about thermostats and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area