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2020 has been a long year for all of us. With many of us spending more time indoors due to social distancing, shelter in place, or working from home, the thermostat can become a point of contention among households. We want to help you avoid conflict among your roommates or loved ones by showing you some tips to help you overcome “thermostat wars.”
Get Smart
The number one way to stop disagreements over the thermostat is to upgrade your thermostat! Smart thermostats are a great investment that pays for themselves in only a few months. In addition, you get a host of benefits that can make your home more comfortable for everyone.
The best benefit of a smart thermostat is that you can schedule your thermostat through wifi or your smartphone. This will allow you to set up the temperature for economic and comfort.
Solutions Beyond The Thermostat
Your thermostat most likely controls the temperature of your entire home. If that is the case, you might not be able to find a perfect temperature that works for everyone in your home. Here are some tips you can implement if the temperature of your home is too hot or too cold.
Some Tips If You’re Cold
If the other people in your household want to keep things a bit on the chilly side, it might be best if you find a way to warm yourself up. Here are some helpful tips to get a bit cozier!
Layer Your Clothes. When you’re lounging around the house, it may be a good idea to throw on a jacket.
Wear Socks Around the House. Your hands and feet are one of the biggest areas of heat loss!
Consider a Personal Space Heater! Space heaters are surprisingly powerful these days. Throw one under your desk or by the couch and you’ll feel quite toasty. Just be careful. A space heater uses a lot of electricity and can be a fire risk if not positioned carefully. Never leave it unattended!
If You’re Warm
If your family likes it a bit on the warm side, then you’ll need to find some ways to cool off.
Don’t Heat Up Your Home More. Be careful with sunlight entering your home and be mindful of activities like cooking which can warm up your home.
Cool Off with a Fan! Just like a space heater can warm you up, a portable fan can be a great way to cool off. Fans are also cheaper and use less electricity as well!
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures. If it’s way too hot in your home, an ice pack on your neck will definitely cool you off!
Reinvest in Your HVAC Systems
Of course, the problem may only go away with a stronger solution. There are a variety of ways that you can reinvest and upgrade your current HVAC system to improve it for the comfort of your entire family.
Zoned Systems
One of the best ways to reinvest in your home is to utilize zoned systems. This is great for larger homes with multiple bedrooms because you can independently set the temperatures in different areas of your home. If you do this with ductless mini-splits you’ll also be saving on energy costs as well because ductwork is inherently inefficient!
Repair or Replacement
Most of the time we recommend our customers get their HVAC units repaired or replaced when it makes the most economic sense. Our rule of thumb is to multiply the age of your system in years by the cost of repair. If that result is more expensive than a simple replacement then you should get a replacement. If the number is lower, just go with the repair.
However, in some cases, performance is the driving factor behind the HVAC issue. While it may still be economical to repair, if performance will be poor, then a replacement may be your best option. This can happen when a system is undersized for your home for example.
Do you need an HVAC repair or replacement? We’d love to help! Give us at Cousin's Air, Inc. a call at (954) 228-5965 or fill out an online contact form!