Do you turn down heat at night and when you're away...

[Sargent's Fox Hole]

My friend got a new furnace installed at her house and they were going to install a digital thermostat. She told them she wanted a programmable thermostat, so that she could set it so the temperature would automatically lower at night and when she was at work.

The technician said raising and lowering the temp like that really didn't save on the heating bill. He said their motto was "set it and forget it".

I've seen articles on conserving energy and they advise that you should lower the temp at night and periods when you are away from the house!!! Now I'm really confused, so help me out here, to understand what is right!

[Ford Idaho]

I do not change it.
Set at 70 year around unless we will be gone for an extended amount of
time.

[Todouble]

You can do a setback temperature when your at work or sleeping but anything over 6 degrees is a waste. You will use more energy getting back to normal temp then you saved by turning it down. This is what we recommend

[Weezer]

I've mentioned before that ex H and I owned an A/C dealership for 20 years.

We told our customers this:

When you turn the A/C *up* while away, remember that all carpet, sofas, chairs, curtains and even the walls hold that heat. When you come home and turn the A/C back to your preferred setting your A/C then has to run for hours until all that heat has leeched out of the curtains, carpet, etc. You save nothing on electricity.

The same goes for the furnace and cold stored in home furnishings.

Those articles advising that you "conserve energy" by adjusting stats while away were probably written by electrical/gas companies.

Test it one day this summer. Turn your stat up to around 80* and back to 72* when you come home, then pay attention to how long that A/C runs without cutting off.

In the spring when temps vary so widely here between night/early morning and mid day/afternoon we'll set our heat/cool stat 4* apart....automatic change over.

[Todouble]

A lot of it is all how your system is sized for the house. If it's not done properly then yes it will run for hours. But a system that is sized properly and is running normal with no system issues will handle the setback temp just fine.

[garbonz]

Why would the gas and electric company lie to us, is it a communist conspiracy? Really?

It is well known that if you dial down the temp for a few hours or more that the savings will out weigh the cost. Think about it. It takes more to keep something at a high(or low) than it does to return it there. It's simple thermodynamics.

But some believe that ice cubes freeze faster with warm water, and they DO in old frosted freezers when the warm water melted the the frost on the coils.

Generally, furnaces are more efficient when running then when cycling on and off.

Just saying.

[MillerTime]

I would have to agree with post 3 and 4.

We have a 3 year old house that was completely spray foamed. And we have a total electric house (so no gas) but we do have heat pump units.
We keep our thermostats set at 74° in the winter and 78-79° in the summer, at all times. Works for us since I work in a heated shop, but no ac. The warmer temps in the summer help me stay acclimated better. & We have VERY low electric bills considering the size of our house.
A few years ago in our old house, we lost electric for almost a week durring an ice storm in december. When power finally came on, our heater ran for almost 24 hours straight. Of course it would kick on and run then reach temp and kick off. But within a couple minutes (literally) it was back on. Everything was still so cold, the floor and walls- everything, you couldn't hardly stand on the floor and you couldn't hardly get warm yourself.

I've always heard the same thing about keeping things constant- uses less electric. Makes sence to me, inertia works kinda like it, and they say driving a constant speed saves over stop and go driving. Sound like simple physics ? Maybe?

MillerTime- Future Sabre Handler!!

[jtstromsburg]

I manage our school districts HVAC system, 56 heat pumps and 12 more roof top heat pumps with multiple compressors. Have proven the savings to leave temps alone at all rooms with exterior walls. Interior rooms I allow to drop or rise 5 degrees. At home, we're all electric in our 106 year old 2600sq ft home. Winter temp of 70 & 72 in the summer. Leave it alone and my utility usage dropped 20% compared to when we adjusted nightly and when we're out of the house. The only time I've found to save energy is when we are gone more than 48 hours.

Sent by me

[Oaklevel]

Our house is all electric & old heat pumps. We set it & forget it. Keep it warm in the summer & cool in the winter......it works for us. DW doesn't mind the cool that's what blankets are for..........
We do the same camping as well.............

[keith4216]

Just remember to change the batteries in those digital thermostates.
I'm in the process of repairing flood damage from a frozen pipe. Batteries died in thermostate and it didn't turn heat on.

[SKnight]

I got a digital thermostat and my monthly power bill dropped $60-80 a month.

Obviously, your mileage may vary.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by SKnight

I got a digital thermostat and my monthly power bill dropped $60-80 a month.

Obviously, your mileage may vary.

To answer the op question that was asked, You will save money by dropping the temp while a way. There is really no point in heating or cooling a house when you are not in it. I also was in the business for over 20 years and it is a proven fact that you will save money. The best money that you can spend is on insulation. The better your insulation the less heat / lost gain will happen. I have a trane stat I drop the temp to 65 during the night from 72 during the day. It is now 4:30AM I checked my stat the reading say's my house is 72 and outside stat say's it 46 degrees. I have a duel system hp/oil combination. When I leave for a month I program the # of days I will be gone and set it at 45 on hold til the day before I get home then it heats my house to 72 When I come home my house is then 72. There is no way possible that by doing that I do not save money on my electric bill. Proven fact my bill drops more then 50% for that cycle. So to answer the op question is yes drop your temp down. For someone to say that you do not save money or energy is just being uninformed IMO. I also do the same on the a/c side set it at 85 when I'm gone and 74 when I return. I also shut my water heater off and close my valve for the city water. I totally agree with knights statement. You save, but it depends on location and how your home is insulated. I do not understand the post about the battery's made my pipe's break. Battery's are only used to hold your program, your stat runs off of 24v not battery. That is another reason I turn off the water valve. Lets remember that I do this when I'm gone for extended period of time not just a short weekend trip.

[Todouble]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

I do not understand the post about the battery's made my pipe's break. Battery's are only used to hold your program, your stat runs off of 24v not battery..

He's referring to the digital thermostats not having a dedicated common wire hooked up from the furnace. When you don't have enough conductors in your thermostat wire for a common you can use the batteries instead for that connection. The batteries are there to hold the program but also to power the digital stat in the event that you don't hook up the common wire. Is this case when your batts die your system dies!

[davel1971]

I turn the furnace down about 3-4 degrees while at work and while in bed. It definitely runs less at even that little of a difference and doesn't take long to get back those few degrees.

[PhoneDude 8289]

Retired and when at home we drop the temps back to 68* winter and 70* summer before going to bed, sleep better in cooler temps. Same in the RV when we are on the road. When we are away from home for extended periods of time the set points are 85* summer and 45* winter. Always turn city water off when leaving the house for more than a weekend.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Todouble

He's referring to the digital thermostats not having a dedicated common wire hooked up from the furnace. When you don't have enough conductors in your thermostat wire for a common you can use the batteries instead for that connection. The batteries are there to hold the program but also to power the digital stat in the event that you don't hook up the common wire. Is this case when your batts die your system dies!

I would like to see that wire diagram or the model. Stats that are not HP have 4 wires Red for 24v yellow for compressor green for the fan and white for heat. The battery only holds the program incase of lost of 24v (only holds you program). How does 12v battery turn a furnace on. You do not need a common wire for a 24 volt stat. All controls are 24v. You can take the red and white wire and tie them together and your burner will ignite, where is the common come in then? The white , yellow and green do not have voltage to them the red is the only power wire. The subbase is what transfers the 24 volt from the red. I have put in 100's of digital setback stats. I have been out off the business since 1994 when I retired I guess they made some changes that I do not know of. That's a good reason why you turn your water off where it enters your home or at the meter. But in my Town it is against Our Town Ord. to touch the meter. But there is still a valve inside your home.

[Todouble]

Originally Posted by gljurczyk

I would like to see that wire diagram or the model. Stats that are not HP have 4 wires Red for 24v yellow for compressor green for the fan and white for heat. The battery only holds the program incase of lost of 24v (only holds you program). How does 12v battery turn a furnace on. You do not need a common wire for a 24 volt stat. All controls are 24v. You can take the red and white wire and tie them together and your burner will ignite, where is the common come in then? The white , yellow and green do not have voltage to them the red is the only power wire. The subbase is what transfers the 24 volt from the red. I have put in 100's of digital setback stats. I have been out off the business since 1994 when I retired I guess they made some changes that I do not know of. That's a good reason why you turn your water off where it enters your home or at the meter. But in my Town it is against Our Town Ord. to touch the meter. But there is still a valve inside your home.

Judging by the statement you've been out of the business for 20 years you must not be current on today's stats. I'm an hvac contractor and stats have changed tremendously since 1994. I understand everything your saying about jumping wires but any newer digital (not mercury old style) needs and R and C (24v) to power up the display. If you don't have the extra conductor in your current Tstat wire then you can use the batteries to power the digital thermostat! Guess what? When the batteries dies you lose your display and the thermostat will not function. I always stress hooking up the common wire providing it's there

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Todouble

Judging by the statement you've been out of the business for 20 years you must not be current on today's stats. I'm an hvac contractor and stats have changed tremendously since 1994. I understand everything your saying about jumping wires but any newer digital (not mercury old style) needs and R and C (24v) to power up the display. If you don't have the extra conductor in your current Tstat wire then you can use the batteries to power the digital thermostat! Guess what? When the batteries dies you lose your display and the thermostat will not function. I always stress hooking up the common wire providing it's there

You are probably right, I would never buy a stat that a battery is required to operate. I have a Honeywell/trane TCONT800. Just pulled the manual the only reason they state that I need 3 AAA battery's are for "arm chair programing" Then it says you can then remove the batteries if you want or leave them in. You see you are right there has been changes in the industry since I was in Business. Now your fan manufacturers and everyone else making stats like Hunter the fan people and everyone else that will buy there cheap stuff at any big box store. I prefer to stick to honeywell, Robertshaw, white rodgers. People save a dime here and spent 1000.00 for repairs. Thanks for your clarification. It's to bad about his water pipe, I wouldn't be a happy camper when I got home... PS Mercury stats, I'm not that old that I only installed Mercury stats. They were gone a while before I retired.

[David 01]

I have a 1950's brick Bungalow. The thermostat is programed to go cooler from 70 to 67 over night and during the day when nobody is home. Since doing this my heat (gas) bill has dropped over $40.00 per month. 3 degrees is not a huge difference in comfort but it is in price!

21 more Days and it's open season! Hopefully there will be no more snow!