Setting your thermostat during the winter isn’t just a matter of comfort; it’s also a matter of health. Setting it too high could result in unhealthy heat in your home and cause a variety of other problems. Here’s why the right thermostat settings are important.
Overcompensating
When the weather turns cold, the temptation is to crank up the thermostat as high as possible to stay warm. This is partly because 80 degrees sounds nice when you’re freezing and partly due to a misconception about how HVAC systems work — a misconception that often leads to unhealthy heat in your home.
Many people think that turning your thermostat higher will heat your home faster. This isn’t the case. Air blows at the same speed no matter what your thermostat settings are. Not only will it not heat your home faster, it will just run for a longer duration to reach the higher temperature you’ve set, wasting energy in the process and generating unhealthy heat.
Even if you have a variable-speed air handler, which allows your furnace to run at different speeds, you still shouldn’t crank the thermostat up higher than necessary. It’s not there to heat your home faster; it’s there to save energy by adjusting your airflow on milder days.
Your Ideal Temperature
Your ideal thermostat setting in winter is around 68 degrees, which is about the temperature of a nice spring day. If that’s too cold for you, turn up your thermostat one degree at a time over the course of a few hours until you’re comfortable.
Keep in mind, though, that the higher you set your thermostat, the longer your furnace will run — and the more energy it will use. Additionally, your furnace dehumidifies the air as it warms it, which can cause problems in the already-dry Arizona weather.
Raising the thermostat and running the furnace for a longer period will lower your humidity even further. If your air gets too dry, it can foster viruses and bacteria, particularly during cold and flu season. It can also lead to dry, cracked skin; chapped lips; dry eyes; sore throats; and more.
For help setting your ideal home temperature and avoiding unhealthy heat, contact us at Hansberger Refrigeration and Electric Company. Yuma’s home comfort is our top priority.
