As the weather changes in the Decatur, AL area, you may be wondering how to lower your electric costs, and heating is a great way to do just that. A good way to lower your costs is to turn your thermostat down at night and allow your home to cool while you’re sleeping.
But you may be wondering what the ideal temperature is during the cooler months, as you want the best sleep you can get. The good news is that during the fall and winter, you can achieve lower costs and better sleep at the same time.
During the Colder Months. It’s easy to turn your thermostat’s temperature down when it’s cooler outside and allow dissipation to release heat from your home at night. Your furnace or boiler will work less during the overnight hours, saving money.
How low do you go? For most people, turning the thermostat down to between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal for sleep. Anything over 70 degrees may be too warm and will disrupt sleep for many, along with increased humidity, which makes it more difficult to cool off.
For small children, 60 degrees may be too cold for comfortable sleep, so the temperature in a child’s room should be slightly higher, around 65 to 70 degrees. This can mean that every member of a household may need a different temperature for sleep. Thankfully, there are means to achieve this.
During the Warmer Months. You’ll also need cool temperatures for sleeping during the summer, which can become hot and humid in the Decatur area and beyond. If you don’t want to run your AC as much, try using a dehumidifier and fans to achieve a cooler feel. Opening the windows may lead to humidity buildup, which can make a room feel as if it’s well over 70 degrees.
Use Your Smart Thermostat or Zoned Heat and AC to Achieve the Right Temps Year-Round. If you must use heat or AC to moderate the temperature for your bedroom or multiple bedrooms, you can still save big by investing in smart thermostats or zoned heating and cooling.
Smart thermostats allow you not only to program what temperature your thermostat will achieve at a certain time, but some models can “learn” your habits and adjust accordingly, taking the burden of programming off your busy schedule. Many models can also detect your presence in your home and learn to adjust. This alone can lower energy bills as much as 30%, though 10% is a safe baseline.
Zoned AC or heating systems can work alone or combine with smart thermostats to achieve that 60-to-67-degree temperature at night. These systems can work well with mini-split systems or even a regular, central system to heat or cool only certain “zones” of a home. Such a system would be ideal for keeping bedrooms at certain temperatures while working less hard on the rest of a home. This may also work for members of a household who have different needs, such as the elderly or children, who may need higher sleeping temperatures.
Get to the Right Temperature Today. Here at Southeastern Mechanical Services, we’re here to make sure you sleep well all year long. Don’t underestimate how much temperature can affect your sleep. Contact us today if you’re ready for more comfortable nights.
