Energy Write is a Resource for Residential Do-It-Your-Self Energy Reduction.
Energy Reduction How to Article ...
Energy Saver: Programmable Thermostat Upgrade
First let’s get the obvious advice, that any energy-engineer-want-to-be can tell you, out of the way: lower your thermostat setting during heating season and raise it in the cooling season and you’ll save energy. Phew, that was difficult.
Now let’s discuss how to optimize this to maintain comfort and optimize this great opportunity. The overall idea here is to maximize energy reduction without reducing comfort or damaging your house. Depending on how and to what extent you go about implementing this energy reduction advice, you can expect 5 to 40% annualized reduction in energy with this one thermostat article. The US Department of Energy suggests that for each degree F in set-back/set-up for 8 hours you will save 1%.
In heating mode, the usual comfort set-point is 72 to 74 F (22 to 23 C). Yes, that allows you to be comfortable in bare feet, a tee-shirt and shorts. There are some simple things you can do and be just as comfortable at a lower thermostat setting. Over your bare feet wear cotton socks and fleece house slippers (guys and kids too). Over your shorts wear loose fleece pants. Over your tee-shirt wear a loose fleece jacket or a house coat. With these or similar simple wardrobe changes, you can lower the thermostat to 68 F (20 C) while you're awake and at home. This is the first step of energy reduction.
During sleeping hours, you can add more blankets and again be just as comfortable as you snooze. A general rule (from my camping days) is to add one blanket below for every two blankets above. This rule works at home too. With this adjustment, lower your sleeping thermostat set point to 58 F (14 C). This is the second step of energy reduction.