Quick Green Home Tip: Turn Down the Thermostat

It’s getting cold, and you’ll probably be reaching for the thermostat. However, before you crank that sucker up, try the following…

• More clothing - a sweater inside is ok.
• Extra blankets at night.
• Exercising indoors - although I’d draw the line at jump rope and jumping jacks if you live above someone.
• Open the window shades during the day to let some sunshine in.
• Co-sleep with another family member.

Once you do decide that it’s cold enough for your heater to be on, try setting it 3-5 degrees lower than you think it should be set at. For example, if you always blindly turn your thermostat to 68, see if you can set it at 64 and still stay warm enough. Experiment with how low is just fine vs. too low.

This tip can save you money as you save resources. The Department of Energy notes that you can save $40+ a year just by turning your thermostat down by 1 degree. Wow - you do the math.