This summer has been an odd one, to say the least. The temperatures have been up and down all season so far. With the polar vortices wreaking havoc throughout Toronto and the central portion of Canada, one week it could be pleasantly warm or even hot and the next we are grabbing for a sweater just to keep comfortable in the evening.
Most homeowners throughout Toronto tend to turn their heating systems off during the summer. However, there have been a few weeks so far where the temperatures have reached record lows and that meant having to turn the heating system back on.
For those who hadn’t had their furnace checked or cleaned after the winter season, this could have posed some challenges. It also makes staying comfortable a bit of a challenge as well.
Switching the thermostat from ‘cool’ to ‘heat’ is usually done manually if you have central air conditioning. If you rely on window based air conditioning units, you might have turned the heating system off. Then when you turn it on again for this summer’s record cold spell, you might have forgotten to turn it back off. This can cause you to spend a lot more on energy bills.
The most efficient or effective way to maximize efficiency during these up and down temperature spells is to have a fully programmable thermostat. You can set the bottom line temperature that your home would have to reach in order for the furnace to kick on and generate heat. You can also set the top line temp before the cooling system turns on (assuming you have central air conditioning).
Installing a programmable thermostat is not overly complicated, but when you want to ensure that it’s done right, contact an HVAC professional. A minor investment now can actually save you a lot of money through the years as you move into autumn, then winter and have to contend with up and down temperatures throughout the year.