The kind of home heating system you have will determine whether turning up the thermostat more than a couple of degrees will result in wasted energy and money.

 

For instance, if you have a heat pump, and you set the thermostat back and then up several degrees to catch up, the heat pump may switch from standard mode to emergency backup. In this emergency backup mode the heater uses direct electric heat, one of the most expensive sources and it could cost you more money. 

 

If you do not have a heat pump, turning down the heat saves money. When the heater comes on to catch up to a higher temperature, it generally works more efficiently over a longer, singular period of time and uses less energy in the process of heating up the ducts. 

 

You can compensate for this by purchasing a special "adaptive recovery" thermostat made especially for your heat pump. These thermostats "learn" your patterns and attempt to slowly bring up the heat level rather than use the emergency recovery features. For example, if you were programmed to bring the heat up at 6 AM from 60 to 68 it would start the work earlier – perhaps at 4 AM – rather than trying to do it all at once.  It is important to note that thermostat should be compatible with your heat pump and must have a set program so it can learn your patterns and anticipate your needs. Manually adjusting temperature generally use emergency backup – and more energy.

 

ENERGY STAR also has information to help you make sure your heating equipment meets your comfort needs and saves you money.

 

Each of us can probably remember a time been out to eat and had to keep our coats on during the meal! There are simple things that can help decrease drafts around restaurant doors.

 

First, doors and windows that don’t have a tight closure can be sealed with weather stripping, which comes in a variety of sizes

 

Doors and windows can also leak around the frame. Caulking the doors and windows where they fit into the frame can cut down on these leaks. Choose the color caulk that matches your interior. If you plan to paint over it, make sure it’s the paintable variety.

 

Restaurants where doors open and close frequently can also benefit from vestibules. Where a vestibule is not practical, a high-powered fan that runs when the door is open creates an “air curtain” to keep the cold air out and the warm air inside.

 

Another consideration is to replace doors with a well-insulated ENERGY STAR products. Remember that weather stripping should be part of the installation job as well. For more information, see ENERGY STAR’s guide on how to make restaurants more energy efficient.