{"id":2240,"date":"2025-08-25T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/?p=2240"},"modified":"2025-08-29T12:18:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T16:18:12","slug":"best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Thermostat Settings for Southern Comfort &#038; Lower Energy Bills"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When the Southern heat and humidity settle in, finding the right thermostat settings can make the difference between comfort and high energy bills. Many homeowners assume their thermostat is \u201cset it and forget it,\u201d but smarter usage can actually keep your home cool, cozy, and efficient. Whether you\u2019re working with a traditional model or considering&nbsp;<a href=\"\/air-conditioning\/wifi-smart-thermostats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">smart thermostat installation in Hammond, LA<\/a>, knowing how to manage your system goes a long way toward balancing comfort with savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Professional-Heating-And-Air-best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Professional-Heating-And-Air-best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Homeowner adjusts smart thermostat to 78 degrees in Hammond living room with ceiling fan\" class=\"wp-image-2245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Professional-Heating-And-Air-best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Professional-Heating-And-Air-best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Professional-Heating-And-Air-best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Professional-Heating-And-Air-best-thermostat-settings-for-southern-comfort-lower-energy-bills.webp 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>The Ideal Summer Settings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During the long, hot summers, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to around 78\u00b0F when you\u2019re at home and need cooling. While that may seem a little warmer than expected, ceiling fans and natural ventilation can help make the temperature feel more comfortable. When you\u2019re away from home, raising the temperature to 85\u00b0F or higher helps prevent your system from running unnecessarily. Each degree you increase the thermostat can reduce your cooling costs by about 3\u20135%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Winter Settings for Comfort and Savings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Southern winters are mild compared to the North, but there are still chilly evenings that call for heat. The recommended setting is around 68\u00b0F when you\u2019re at home and awake. Lowering it by 7\u201310 degrees while you sleep or are away can yield noticeable savings on heating costs. Layering clothing, using heavier blankets, and sealing drafts around windows and doors can help you stay warm without pushing your energy bills higher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Simple Thermostat Management Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter what kind of thermostat you have, a few smart habits can stretch your energy dollars:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Avoid big swings in temperature.<\/strong>&nbsp;Constantly turning your thermostat up and down forces your HVAC system to work harder, which uses more energy.<\/li><li><strong>Use fans wisely.<\/strong>&nbsp;Ceiling and floor fans don\u2019t lower the temperature but do help circulate air, making the room feel cooler.<\/li><li><strong>Block out the sun.<\/strong>&nbsp;Closing blinds and curtains on hot days reduces indoor heat gain, easing the strain on your cooling system.<\/li><li><strong>Schedule setbacks.<\/strong>&nbsp;If your thermostat is programmable, set different temperatures for when you\u2019re home, asleep, or away.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2>Why Consider a Smart Thermostat Upgrade?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re still relying on a basic manual or programmable thermostat, you could be missing out on convenience and savings. Smart thermostats learn your habits, adjust automatically, and can be controlled from your phone. They also provide detailed energy reports so you can track your usage and identify opportunities to save. For households in the South, where cooling demands are constant, this can mean significant year-round savings and better comfort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>Finding the Right Balance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every family\u2019s comfort preferences are a little different, and the \u201cperfect\u201d temperature often depends on your lifestyle. But by following general guidelines\u2014cooler settings in winter, warmer settings in summer, and scheduled adjustments when you\u2019re away\u2014you\u2019ll keep both your HVAC system and your utility bills in check. Add in the convenience and efficiency of a smart thermostat, and you\u2019ll enjoy comfort tailored to your home without sacrificing savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"\/contact\/send-message\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>When you need it done right, contact Professional Heating &amp; Air.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many homeowners assume their thermostat is \u201cset it and forget it,\u201d but smarter usage can actually keep your home cool, cozy, and efficient.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2245,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[209],"tags":[88,210],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2240"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2240"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2246,"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2240\/revisions\/2246"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}