In Florida, winter is relative. The average temperature in Jacksonville, Florida, during December and January is roughly 53°F. In northern states, people still wear T-shirts and shorts with that temperature while people in Florida break out the jackets, hats, and gloves. There are three things that should affect your smart thermostat settings during the winter in Jacksonville: humidity, outside temperature, and time of day.
Humidity
Humidity affects the way you feel and experience temperature both inside and outside your home. The higher the humidity, the hotter a temperature will feel. The opposite is also true. In Jacksonville, the relative humidity in the morning during December and January is 88%. The average high temperature in December and January is 68°F, and in November, it’s 73°F. As an example of how the humidity affects the temperature, that 68-degree day at 88% humidity will feel like 79°F.
Air conditioning is not only a cooling process but also a drying one. By running the air conditioner, you’ll remove the humidity from the air. When the temperature is cooler during December and January, and you run the heat instead, it will also reduce the humidity. So, 68°F is a great choice to set your thermostat whether you’re heating or cooling during the winter.
Outside Temperature
If there are unusually hot days in November and December, then 68°F might be too cool and would waste energy and create a large carbon footprint. If, for example, the temperature is 85°F, then it’s far better to set the thermostat to 72°F or 74°F rather than 68°F. Even that small difference will have a big impact on your carbon footprint without lowering your comfort very much at all.
However, if the days at the height of winter turn colder than 53°F, then it’s still viable to heat the interior of your home to 68°F. Generally, it’s not necessary to heat it hotter than that to retain comfort. It’s also not a viable strategy to lower the temperature too much below that for everyday activities.
Time of Day
It’s a good practice either to lower the cooling or heat, as applicable, during the late evening and overnight. You’ll either be under warm covers when it’s cold, or it’ll be cool enough in the evening not to need the air conditioning. So, setting the air conditioning much higher than usual to prevent it from turning on is a good idea, as is lowering the heat for those periods where you’re under the covers.
The Importance of a Smart Thermostat
Having a smart thermostat lets you program how your HVAC equipment will change the temperature inside your home to keep you comfortable while still helping to reduce your carbon footprint. A smart thermostat helps you keep track of your usage, too, so that you can make wise adjustments for the future.
Conclusion
There is more than one kind of smart thermostat, and we’d be happy to advise you on which kind of thermostat would be best for your home and lifestyle. Contact us at One Hour Air Conditioning & Heating today.