Living in Northern Utah means you experience four distinct seasons — hot summers, cold winters, and unpredictable springs and falls. Smart thermostats are essential tools for optimizing your home’s comfort and energy efficiency in such a variable climate.
At Genuine Comfort, we want you to understand how to use your smart thermostat to the fullest and maintain a comfortable home environment, no matter what the weather throws at you. In this blog post, we’ll give expert advice on seasonal smart thermostat settings, scheduling tips, energy-saving strategies, and some Northern Utah-specific guidance.
Understanding Utah’s Climate Challenges
Northern Utah presents unique climate challenges, with extreme temperatures in both directions, dry air, and high elevation.
In the summer, high temperatures are frequently above 90 degrees and can even rise above 100. This places significant demand on cooling systems and requires lots of energy to keep indoor spaces comfortable.
In the winter, low temperatures are typically in the 20s and can get even colder in the mountains. Months of below-freezing temperatures require efficient, reliable heating systems to keep homes warm and toasty.
Spring and fall are unpredictable. You could be chilly when you wake up in the morning and sweating in the afternoon. One day could be the perfect temperature, while the next is frigid and windy. These transitional seasons require flexible heating and cooling that adapt to the changing conditions.
The Benefits of Smart Thermostats
That’s where smart thermostats come in. They’re more advanced than standard programmable models, with adaptive-learning, remote-access, occupancy-sensing, and auto-scheduling features.
In addition to making your life more convenient, the right smart thermostat settings can help you save money by increasing energy efficiency. For instance, after installing a Nest smart thermostat, homes used 10 percent less gas and 17.5 percent less electricity than they had previously. Ecobee, another manufacturer of smart thermostats, has reported similar results.
Recommended Smart Thermostat Settings by Season
To maximize the benefits of your smart thermostat, it’s essential to choose the right settings. While smart thermostats can adapt to your needs over time by learning from occupancy sensors and actual usage, you still need to give them guidelines.
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends adjusting temperatures by 7–10 degrees during periods of inactivity (like while you’re asleep or away from home) for 8 hours per day to save up to 10 percent on energy costs. This simple thermostat setting can make a big difference in energy efficiency without sacrificing comfort.
It’s also a good idea to take advantage of smart automations. Schedule “home”, “away”, and “night” modes based on your schedule to automatically adjust temperatures.
Summer Thermostat Settings
In the summer, set your thermostat to 75–78 degrees while home and awake. While you’re away, raise the temperature to around 85 degrees to save energy. Depending on your comfort, you can bump up the temperature by a few degrees at night.
In addition to using the right thermostat settings, you can turn on your ceiling fans and close the blinds during peak sunlight hours to reduce heat gain.
Winter Thermostat Settings
In the colder months, keep your thermostat set to around 68 degrees. At night, lower it to 60 to 65 degrees. If you’re going away for a while, you can set it back even further; however, keep it above 50 degrees to avoid frozen pipes.
Additionally, it’s a smart idea to open the blinds or curtains during the day for passive solar heat gain and close them at night to retain warmth.
Spring and Fall Thermostat Settings
Set your smart thermostat to “auto” mode with set points at around 68 and 78 degrees, allowing the HVAC system to shift between heating and cooling as the temperature fluctuates. If needed, adjust this range for daytime vs. nighttime.
Additional Efficiency Tips
In addition to fine-tuning your thermostat settings, it’s important to stay on top of HVAC maintenance and replace filters regularly to ensure energy efficiency. Other ways to improve efficiency include sealing drafts, insulating windows and doors, and keeping windows closed.
Stay Comfortable All Year Long with Genuine Comfort
From adaptive control to energy savings to remote operation capabilities, smart thermostats provide many benefits for Utah homeowners. If you’re considering installing a smart thermostat, contact Genuine Comfort today for expert installation services and advice on the right thermostat settings for your homes.
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