How Low Can You Go?
After stalling and sputtering, winter has hit Indiana this week with a vengance. Thought it's not yet freeze-yer-eyelids cold, single digit morning temperatures and sub-zero wind chill has furnaces working overtime.
Per HowStuffWorks.com ever degree you turn down your thermostat will save 1-3% on your heating bill.
My home has an electric heat pump. http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/heating-and-cooling/heat-pump.htm
When the outside temperatures get below about 20-25 degrees Farenheit however, the heat pump can't keep up and we have an "auxiliary" heating unit on the system. The trouble is that it is a resistance heater and costs a lot more to run. So when my wife saw that the "AUX" indicator come on this weekend, she started dialing down the thermostat to make it turn off.
We spent the weekend at a balmy 57 degrees and put on another layer of clothing. Today the temperature is set at 60. So if the web site is correct I could save $24-$72 on my heating bill this month, compared to 72 degrees.
... And before you ask, she sets the thermostat to 78 in the summer time.