There may be one household disagreement that can be more intense than the age-old battle for the TV remote. It’s the fight over what temperature to set in your home. Sometimes this battle is also fought at the office as well. You’ve probably been angry over a room temperature that’s too low in the winter or too high in the summer, and you’ve probably wondered at least once if there’s an optimum temperature for your home. It’s likely you’ve heard a wide array of temperature ranges suggested as well. Tragar Home Services knows there’s a lot of confusion out there so we want to clear up some of the noise out there so you know how to stay warm this winter.
Tragar Home Services Are Your Energy Experts
We’re energy experts at Tragar and we’ve been serving Long Island for more than 60 years. We can install heating systems like the Energy Kinetics, ductless mini-split units for heating and cooling, air conditioning, and water filtration systems. We do maintenance on your heating and cooling equipment and as well as oil delivery. We also promote energy efficiency and we know that saving energy saves money and enhances your home’s value. Your thermostat plays an important role in saving energy and money, which is why this winter we recommend smart technology like the Lennox iComfort Smart Thermostat.
The Thermostat Setting Backstory
Some people reading this might be old enough to remember President Jimmy Carter proposing an executive order to lower thermostats in public buildings to be lowered to a maximum of 65 degrees. The order was repealed by Carter’s successor, Ronald Reagan. He reversed the order shortly after he took office in 1981.
Home and business owners were not required to follow the 65-degree maximum that Carter ordered. And today even federal buildings have more wiggle room to raise room temperature. There are government regulations that require minimum temperature during winter months. In Nassau County, heat must be provided to tenants from October 1, through May 31 any time the outside temperature drops below 55 degrees. The minimum temperature between overnight hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. is 65 degrees and that minimum temperature rises during the remaining (daytime) hours rises to 68 degrees.
There are also non-binding government guidelines for setting a thermostat. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that employers keep thermostats between 68 and 78 degrees, according to the Houston Chronicle. The Department of Energy suggests setting the thermostat at 68 degrees during the daytime in the winter and lower while your asleep or away from home.
Tragar Recommends Energy Efficiency
The energy department says you can save 10 percent on your heating and cooling bill by turning back your thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees for 8 hours a day in a normal setting. But that means you need to keep track of when you’re home, when you’re asleep, and other habits.
That’s where the Lennox iComfort Smart Thermostat comes in. The iComfort is programmable, and over time this thermostat learns your habits. So if you get up at 5:30 a.m. during the week it will remember. It will also remember if you sleep in on weekends. It will know when everyone is away from home at work or school and it will lower your heating during those hours and raise the temperature when you get home.
Instead of fighting over how to set the thermostat, let iComfort do it for you. To get started, contact Tragar today.
