Comments on: Stop Adjusting the Thermostat: Why I Don’t Turn Down The Heat at Night

By: Wrong Danny

Wrong Danny — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:07:55 +0000

Danny I’m sorry, but you’re incorrect. I suggest taking a course in thermodynamics if you are having trouble or just read the first chapter out of a thermodynamics book.

By: Danny

Danny — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:43:54 +0000

This post is correct. If you leave your home for the day and turn down the temp to 55, not only is the air in the house cool now but this also allows the walls to cool down. To reheat the walls takes a very long time and this is where the problem lies and people get confused. Think about it, the walls of your house go down to 55 and then you walk in and turn the heat up to 70, now the furnace kicks in and the furnace after working an hour to get the air warm stops, the cold walls generate more cold air and the furnace needs to quickly kick back on. The walls and structure take a very long time to heat up, but once they are warm they stay warm, trying to get them warm again takes a long time. Leaving the temp at 68 may get you upset because your furnace will run and the temp will go up to 70 or more when it shuts off, but if you leave it at 68 it will stop doing that because the most it will have to run is 5 mins at a time. Trust the man on this post, he is so right.

By: GreatAdvice

GreatAdvice — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:13:46 +0000

I think the real lesson in this article is to always read the opinion section and don’t just read the article only. It’s amazing how the collective brain power can steer the ship toward the truth. Whether it was any intention of the author, I think the lively discussion that ensued was just the sort of thing we need pay attention to. I also get a lot of opinions from HVAC contractors and I can’t always tell whether its bologna or reality. I admit I’m no expert. No one needs to belittle anyone. On a different note, does in-rush current of heat pump caused by cycling on and off make a big difference to the heating bill? I thought even though in-rush is 10x normal amperage, that it lasts for a short while so you make up the difference. Any thoughts?

By: Biffo

Biffo — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 09:37:02 +0000

I started my c/h off last autumn [2010] in October, a month earlier than usual. Due to the colder than normal winter, I left the c/h on 24/7 and have clearly used less oil than the previous winter [2009/10], when the boiler was off overnight. I suppose ‘tickling’ the system, saves heating it up from stone cold every day.

By: Sublime

Sublime — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 18:27:37 +0000

I say keep the post up.

The author has OBVIOUSLY been proven wrong. I have been researching this exact topic and found all the resources I needed by reading through all the comments.

Of course, it does make the author look completely ignorant.

By: Common Sense

Common Sense — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:30:17 +0000

Take this article down. It’s misinformation.
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12720

By: Ellie

Ellie — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 06:40:49 +0000

Heres the professional reason it saves money. As a pipe fitting and maintenance technicians sister I will tell you. Your pipes get cold you waste heat heating your pipes back up. Not that this shouldn’t have been common sense.

By: MarkB

MarkB — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:35:47 +0000

This is a classic example of why the internet is dangerous. Not only do you get backwards advice that will cost you money, but you get it from someone who has absolutely no idea what he is taking about, yet he’ll swear up and down that he’s right.

Furnaces don’t ‘run hard’ when they are raising the temperature of a house many degrees. Furnaces are not like car engines – they run at one ‘speed.’ To raise the temperature of a house ten degrees, a furnace runs exactly the same way, but longer. If any harm is done to a furnace, it would be through cycling on and off – and a furnace cycles on and off more often when you keep the thermostate set high at one temperature.

Set your thermostat where you want, but don’t look to this article for good advice.

By: Crazy

Crazy — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:39:29 +0000

There is no sense in belittling anyone here. I was glad to see all the opinions on the subject. My wife and I are always in disagreement on the thermostat. Ours is 3/4 of the way up the wall so it always is at least 4 degrees different from the floor temp. I like it set at 69 and my wife thinks 65 is ok. I have diabetes and the extra warmth helps a lot. We turn it down to 65 during the day when we are at work. My question is how much difference is there between 69 and 65 in a months time on the heat bill. I don’t think that there will be much difference as rod gozinya noted with the $6 a month reply. At least I would be comfortable in my own home. I turn it up and she turns it down because holy heaven above, we don’t need it 70 degrees in our home even if it is 10 below outside. Right now it is 67 in our home and I have long johns on and a big comfter on also. When your hands get cold when you typing – It is time to turn up the heat!

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 05:22:45 +0000

Not to beat on a dead horse, but this post is runs against well-understood science. Publishing incorrect facts and calling them opinions doesn’t mean it isn’t misinformation.

Believe it or not, I’m a physicist. I have a good understanding of there is NO WAY that maintaining your house at a higher temperature, rather than turning the heat down when not needed, is more cost-effective in terms of fuel usage. Fact. Not opinion.

I only stumbled on this blog because, as a new home owner, I wanted to know if there is any reason, except for the possibility of freezing pipes, I shouldn’t just turn my heat off when I don’t need it. Possible wear-and-tear on the furnace, etc.

Although I think Stephen Waits could have been less belittling in his replies, I agree that the author should either correct or remove this post.