How Should You Change Your Thermostat for Fall

Here in New York, early fall can be one of the most beautiful times of the year. Gone are the long, hot, and humid days of summer, replaced by the much milder – even crisp – days of September and October. As the snow and bitter cold of winter are mere months away, it’s a brief – but welcome – reprieve from extreme weather.

However distasteful you may find temperature extremes, they do have one small benefit – an easy decision when it comes to your thermostat. Generally speaking, most New Yorkers crank up the AC in the summer and bask in the warmth of central heating in the winter. Fall, however, poses a bit trickier question – what should you do with your thermostat as the weather cools?

Avoid Constant Switching This Fall

Even as the weather grows cooler, we’ll still experience some warm days in the months of September and October. Though a far cry from the upper 90s some areas experience in the midst of summer, these fluctuations can have many homeowners struggling to keep a consistent indoor temperature. Worse, switching back and forth between heat and air conditioning mid-cycle can bump up your energy consumption and cost you money.

Instead of stressing about your thermostat, utilize these tips:

1. Utilize a programmable thermostat. Readily available from most HVAC companies and big box stores, a programmable thermostat allows you to set your ideal temperature and forget it. The system will switch from cool to heat as needed with proper wait times between cycles and can reduce your energy consumption by as much as 10%.
2. Aim for 65-68 degrees. This time of year, 65 to 68 degrees allows you plenty of leeway between heat and air, and it adheres closely to the daytime air temperature outside at the beginning of the season. When the temperature drops lower, it will take some time for your indoor temperature to dip below the baseline and require your heating unit to start up.
3. Utilize the crisp air. With a daytime temp adhering so closely to ideal indoor temps, this is the perfect time of year to open the windows and circulate fresh air instead of running your air conditioner. Just be careful to close them in the evening before temperatures dip too low, or you’ll lose valuable heated air to the outside environment.
4. Schedule a heating inspection. No matter your ideal temperature or your thermostat setup, it’s inevitable – the weather will turn cold enough to require your furnace to run more than your air conditioning. Scheduling a heating inspection before freezing temperatures set in can help you ensure your system is in proper working order for the upcoming cold season.

You can trust the experts at D. Rohde Heating & Plumbing for all your fall AC and heating needs. Schedule a heating inspection online today and get ahead of the winter season.