Programmable thermostats

Lower the temps at night by just enough to make your s/o nipply.

At $70ish for WiFi thermostats you would be crazy to settle for a programmable one instead.

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What's the benefit of WiFi, assuming we keep a regular schedule? I can't imagine the need to adjust it regularly.

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No better feeling than getting in bed at night, realizing it's freaking cold, and turning the heat up a bit without getting back out of bed.

I usually bump mine 6 degrees or so when I'm away. I've had it for years though and WiFi thermostats weren't as cheap and available. I'd definitely opt for a WiFi enabled one now for essentially the same price.

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I've always thought that was totally bogus. I figure it takes just as much energy to get the air temp back to the desired level as it would've to have maintained that level all along. I mean to a certain point anyway.

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It's going to be different for every house and set of circumstances, but it does save energy. Obviously the longer you are away the more you can save, and if you're only gone for a couple hours at a time you might not save anything. But if you're gone 8 or more hours, you will definitely save money.

It boils down to the fact that your house is always losing heat to or gaining it from the outside, and the bigger the temperature difference, the faster it will gain or lose heat. So, obviously when you leave and the unit stops running while the house approaches the new setpoint, you aren't using any energy. Once it reaches the new setpoint, the unit will have to kick on less often to maintain that temp because it is now losing/gaining heat at a slower rate (since the temp is closer to outside temp). Before you get home, that one long cycle to get back to your regular setpoint will use more energy, yes, but not enough to offset the savings during the day.

LINK

Energy dept recommends heater setting of 70 while you're home and awake and 62 at night and while away.

Recommended AC setting is 78, but I find that way too stuffy. My wife hates using ceiling fans because the constant air movement chills her more than the AC clicking on occasionally.

Wait wait wait...

You're comfortable if it's 68 or BELOW, and you're comfortable if it's 78 or ABOVE? So anywhere within the normal range of human comfort, you're NOT comfortable?

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You're comfortable if it's 68 or BELOW,

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Well yeah. Any warmer than that and the house is uncomfortably hot especially if I've been outside doing any work.

As for summer if it's at 74 the house feels like a deep freeze. Much prefer it at 78.

I usually do 68 and 75.

Have you read any of my posts? I'm probably the cheapest person you know.

This is why we have sweatpants and hoodies.