If you can wear a winter coat and a pair of shorts in the same week…then you must live in Indiana! Temperature swings are nothing new for Indiana residents. While it may seem the only way to control the inside temperature is to turn the HVAC system on and off, there are actually some other solutions. Here are a few tips to regulate the temperature inside your home this spring:
- Use your programmable thermostat. People often want to turn their HVAC system off when it warms up a bit. Keep your HVAC system on and your normal program set. During those warmer days, the system will not run if the temperature you have set on the thermostat is met. However, by keeping your system turned on, it will automatically kick on when the temperature falls below the set point. This will ensure that you maintain a comfortable temperature in your home. In addition, it will reach the set temperature more efficiently than if the system is completely off. When the system is completely off, the temperature may drop several degrees below set point. It will have to run and run and run to reach the set temperature again.
- Get a programmable thermostat with auto-changeover capability. Auto-changeover means the HVAC system will automatically switch from the furnace to the air conditioner. Last year on this date, March 19th, Indianapolis had record-setting temperatures. The high was 82 degrees and the low was 64 degrees. If your thermostat is set to 72 degrees, the furnace may have to run in the morning and evening to maintain that temperature, but the air conditioner may be needed in the afternoon. With auto-changeover, the system will automatically switch from the furnace to the air conditioner and back to the furnace!
- Keep the temperature set a little higher than normal. Since humidity is down, 73 degrees in the spring is more comfortable than 73 degrees in the summer.
Spring 2013 is sure different from last year! The warm-up can’t be too far away, right? Enjoy the spring months and stay comfortable!