Home heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems can be a lifesaver during winter and summer. Adjusting your thermostat to keep cool during heat waves or stay warm during blizzards is a must, but energy costs can add up quickly.
In a popular TikTok video, one mom shares a heating and cooling life hack that can help offset your monthly bills.
The scoop
TikToker Candace Stull (@small.town.swag) adjusts her thermostat by just one degree during the winter and summer to regulate her home's temperature and save money.
"I did this last summer and noticed a decent amount of difference on our bill," she says in the video. "I'd say around $50 to $100 each month."
@small.town.swag Life Hack for HIGH ENERGY BILLS! #lifehack #momhack #lifehacks #momhacks #momlifehack #momlifehacks #budgethacks #energybill #moneysavingtips #moneysavinghacks ♬ original sound - Candace✨Mom Life✨Humor✨Hacks
Stull suggests setting the temperature on your thermostat one to two degrees higher (or lower during colder months) than usual during the day and turning it back down to your preferred temperature at night.
For example, Stull and her family prefer to set their thermostat at 72 degrees Fahrenheit during the day in the summer. Using this hack, she turns it up just one degree warmer and returns the temperature to 72 degrees in the evening.
"When I've been religious about doing this, it tends to help out and pad our bill a little bit so it's not obnoxious," she adds.
How it's helping
HVAC systems are likely responsible for a significant portion of your monthly energy bill. This life hack can help reduce energy costs during hot weather or freezing temperatures.
Air conditioning accounts for about 12% of all household energy costs in the U.S. and shoots up to as much as 27% in hotter parts of the country. It also accounts for 17% of electricity consumption. With inflation, Americans have been paying more on energy bills compared to recent years.
Electricity prices increased by 15.8% in 2022, and with record-high temperatures across the U.S., air conditioning is a must for many households.
This hack can help you reduce your energy bills while ensuring your home is still at a comfortable temperature.
Raising or lowering your thermostat according to the weather can also help the environment. This hack will decrease your energy use, and depending on your energy sources, this can reduce consumption of nonrenewable energy sources that contribute to air pollution.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers were impressed by this simple energy bill hack, with over 2,000 views and dozens of likes.
"We have saved a lot doing 72 when we are not home, 70 when we are home, and 68 at night," one user wrote.
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