Have you ever felt like Goldilocks and the Three Bears when it comes to setting the temperature in your home, especially during summer? Someone is always too hot or too cold and only rarely is anyone just right. Here on The First Coast, you know about high energy bills, hot summers, and 100% humidity. What you may not know is that with the right thermostat settings and the right thermostat, you can avoid the high cost, temperatures, and humidity of summer and still keep everyone comfortable.

FINDING THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE

If you want to select a temperature that will keep you comfortable and lower your energy bill, the best temperature is 78 degrees while you’re at home. This is Florida, so ceiling fans are not uncommon in at least one room. Now is the time to make good use of them so you don’t sacrifice comfort for energy efficiency.

When you leave for a few hours or for work, bump the thermostat up to between 85 and 88 degrees. There’s no reason to cool an empty home and your air conditioner will run less while you’re gone. If the idea of coming home to a stuffy, slightly warm home is unbearable, consider a smart thermostat from trusted brands like Carrier. You’ll be able to schedule the change in temperature or reset it on the go while walking into a cool house. Most smart thermostats also have a scheduling feature so you can set your thermostat for the week ahead.

DON’T LET THE HUMIDITY GET TOO HIGH

Here in Florida you can’t walk outside during the summer without sweating or getting flat hair, thanks to the high heat and higher humidity. What you don’t want is a home that feels just as uncomfortable. High levels of humidity in your home can allow mold and mildew to grow and even have serious health consequences. During the summer months, your indoor humidity levels should be below 60 percent. Lower humidity lets your air conditioner work less and helps your home feel much cooler.

Common wisdom says that when you go out of town for a few days, you should turn off your air conditioner for a while to save energy and money. Whoever says that doesn’t live in Florida during the summer. It’s much better to set your thermostat to 88 degrees and your humidity levels around 50 percent and then enjoy your time away from home without worrying about what kind of energy bill or moldy mess you’ll find when you come home. Even more, this prevents you from having to return to a home that is suffocatingly hot and that takes forever to cool.

ADAPTING TO YOUR SCHEDULE

All of the best smart thermostats offer a scheduling option. This allows you to control your energy usage throughout the week and save on energy costs while keeping your home cool and comfortable. You can set your away temperature and your at-home temperature, but that’s only the beginning. What makes these thermostats truly smart is the level of control you have.

The sleep-wake-away-home setting options let you have the comfort of ideal temperatures at night, the right temperatures when you’re home, and the cost-saving settings when you’re at work or out for the day. During the summer, you need comfortable temperatures that won’t double or triple your energy bill and you need low humidity levels to keep you comfortable and keep moisture out of your home. Knowing the right thermostat settings is the first step. Having a smart thermostat to get the job done is the next.

When you’re ready to upgrade to a smart thermostat so you can stay cool and comfortable all summer, contact us at Ocean State Air Conditioning & Heating. Call (904) 574-5619 to schedule your appointment.