Does setting a higher temperature in your thermostat to warm the environment faster work?
It is pretty common to feel uncomfortable with low temperatures during winter, whether at work or home. So naturally, the first thing to be done is to increase the thermostat to warm the environment faster.
We know that many people are in the habit of setting the thermostat temperature a few degrees higher than desired, hoping that it will heat the room faster. But after all, does it work?
Does turning up the thermostat make the room warmer?
The common belief is that turning up the thermostat will make the room warmer faster. However, this is not the case.
When you keep the temperature set to a higher setting, the only thing that will happen is that your heating system will run for longer. But it doesn’t mean it will heat the environment faster.
It’s not a good idea to run your system this way, as it can lead to a shorter life span and less energy efficiency. Instead, it’s always better to set the temperature to a moderate level (or whatever temperature you’d like to achieve) and wait for it to heat your home or business at its pace.
What is the story behind this often repeated misconception?
But if some people believe that, it’s because they heard it somewhere. So, where did that misconception initially come from?
We don’t know exactly. But that probably has something to do with heating systems that don’t have thermometers that determine the environment’s temperature (they only check equipment or water temperature, for example, according to each heating system).
With many of these devices, if you select a higher temperature setting and forget the equipment on, it will keep heating the room until it reaches its limit.
But that’s not how most modern heating systems work these days. As we said at the beginning of this article, most thermostats will heat up at their pace - it doesn’t matter what temperature you type in.
What is the most efficient temperature setting for heating
Now that we’ve established that setting a higher temperature on the thermostat to warm the environment faster doesn’t work, let’s see the most efficient temperature you can set instead.
According to experts, setting your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (or 20 degrees Celsius) is the ideal energy efficiency and comfort balance. But anywhere between 68 and 72 degrees would still be sufficient for everyone to feel comfortable.
When the house is empty, and at night, it's a good idea to lower the temperature. So, when everyone is asleep and less active, there's no need to worry about your heating or cooling system.
How can I heat my house faster?
But since setting a higher temperature on the thermostat to warm the environment faster doesn’t work, what else is there to do?
First and foremost, don't tamper with your thermostat in any way. Otherwise, you’ll considerably reduce its life span, or you could damage your equipment - if not worse.
But there are some other alternatives. For example:
Keep furniture away from vents. That way, you facilitate the spread of heat;
Close the doors to stop the draft;
Install door sweeps to prevent cold air from coming in.
How to prevent unwanted tampering in your thermostat
As we said, some people still believe that setting a higher temperature in the thermostat will help warm the environment faster, which can be a problem for many reasons, such as:
It could raise your electricity bill considerably;
They can accidentally damage the equipment;
Can make co-workers uncomfortable by setting the temperature too high or too low.
So, if your thermostat is in a public place (especially in a workplace), where other people may be setting a higher temperature on your thermostat to warm the environment faster, use protective covers to prevent unwanted personnel from having access to it.
Our keyless cover protects your thermostat - while still looking very stylish on your wall. Click here to visit our store and find out more about StatGuardPlus.