Furnace Repair and Installations

For optimum energy efficiency, at which temperature should I set my thermostat during the winter months?

While at home, most people set their thermostats anywhere between 68°F and 72°F depending on many factors including age of occupants and tolerance to cold.   69°F may be a happy medium that will keep you warm and while being efficient.  Consider lowering the thermostat to 64°F during bed time since you would be under covers and your body heat will keep you warm.

With all this said, keep in mind that what your body feels (sensible temperature) is not necessarily what the thermostat reads. This is because sensible temperature is related to the relative humidity in the air.  At lower relative humidity, our bodies feel colder than what the thermostat displays and at higher relative humidity, it feels warmer.  Sensible temperature (what our bodies feel) and actual temperature (what the thermostat reads) are about the same when relative humidity is about 50%.  If you don’t have a whole home automated humidifier, consider adding one as maintaining a proper relative humidity in your home is not only necessary for comfort and energy savings, but remember that viruses and bacteria thrive under low relative humidity conditions.

This depends on at which temperature you normally set your thermostat and on how long you are planning on being away.  Turning the heat down while you are away from home will certainly reduce your energy bill and save you money.  If you are planning on being away for only couple of hours, consider setting your thermostat 4 to 6 degrees lower than normal. If you are planning on being away for more than 4 hours, consider setting your thermostat 8 to 10 degrees lower than normal.  You should also consider installing a programmable thermostat or better yet invest in a Nest thermostat, which is a learning thermostat that will automatically learn your habits. With either a programmable or a Nest thermostat, your home would be comfortable when you return.

These heating systems are designed to run on more than one type of fuel, hence the term “dual fuel”. The most common dual fuel system involves combining a gas furnace and an electric heat pump. Heat pumps are efficient and effective in mild weather regions.  This is because heat pumps lose efficiency as the temperature drops and will not be able to keep up with the demand in cold weather regions, as is the case in New Jersey.  With a dual fuel system, the gas furnace fires up when the heat pump cannot keep up and meet the home demand.

While it is acceptable to close a few registers within the home, one should be careful not to close too many.  A forced air system is a closed air flow system (except for leakage and air infiltration from the outside which should be negligible) and closing too many registers may result in an imbalance in the airflow.  Since it is a closed system, this will cause a pressure build up in the ductwork and will require the blower motor to work harder to keep the air balance.  Having the blower motor work hard for a prolonged time will reduce the life of the motor.  So be careful and very selective in the registers you choose to close off.

There are certainly many things that you can do as a home owner to maintain your furnace system. On the other hand, there is also other furnace maintenance that is best left for a professional to perform.  Some of the things you can do include changing the filter, ensuring there is sufficient space around the furnace not to impede airflow (some people tend to use the area around the furnace as a storage when the furnace is not in use), test the carbon monoxide level in your home and near the furnace, and finally check that your thermostat is working properly.