How Families Can Adjust Smart Thermostat Schedules To Save Money as Kids Return to School

Back-to-school season is finally here. And if you have kiddos, that means your home may now be empty during the day.

Instead of letting your smart thermostat run like it has been, consider reprogramming it to match your kids’ new school schedules. Otherwise, you could be wasting energy and money heating or cooling a home with nobody in it.

“There really isn't a need to keep the same comfort temperature in an empty home when everyone is either at school or at work for the day. You change the thermostat during school and work hours rather than running it at full comfort settings all day,” says Dale Chason, HVAC manager at Awesome Home Services in Colorado Springs, CO.

How to reprogram your smart thermostat

Smart thermostats come with programmable schedules you can set to accommodate your family's schedule. Back-to-school season is the perfect time to take advantage of them.

“When it comes to cooling, set the thermostat about 5 to 8 degrees higher for the time period when the kids are at school and the house is empty,” says Jordan Low, general manager of Comfort Heating, Cooling, Electrical & Plumbing in Post Falls, ID.

Program it to return to your normal setting about one to two hours before they get home. 

Here’s a sample cooling schedule from Chason:

6:00 a.m. Cool the house to about 72 to 74 degrees before everyone wakes up.

8:00 a.m. Increase to 78 to 80 degrees when everyone leaves.

3:00 p.m. Start cooling down before the kids come back.

10:00 p.m. Raise the setting by a couple of degrees overnight, depending on comfort level.

If it’s the heating season, Low recommends you lower the thermostat by 5 to 8 degrees and keep it in the low 60s while the family is out. 

“Set the heating to your normal temps one to two hours before everyone returns so that the house is warm and comfy when kids return home,” Low adds.

Chason suggests a heating schedule similar to this one:

6:00 a.m. Heat the house to about 68 to 70 degrees before everyone wakes up.

8:00 a.m. Decrease to 62 to 65 degrees when everyone leaves.

3:00 p.m. Bring the temperature back up before the kids come back.

10:00 p.m. Reduce the temperature by a few degrees overnight.

Keep in mind that these exact temperatures and times can be customized to the weather, your preferred household comfort levels, and how well your home retains conditioned air.

Also, if you’re a busy family with an inconsistent schedule, you may want to invest in a smart thermostat with geofencing abilities if you don’t already have one.

“These connect to your phone's GPS, so the thermostat knows how far away you are from home so it can automatically adjust the home's temperature for you,” explains Ryan Osterkamp, founder and co-owner of Quality Comfort Home Services in Cincinnati.

Tips to keep energy use under control year-round

Use these strategies to ensure a comfortable yet efficient home, regardless of the season. 

Take advantage of outdoor temps 

During the summer, open windows in the evening once the sun has gone down and in the morning before the day starts heating up. Once the heat of the day starts setting in, close all windows, blinds, and shades to keep out sunlight and heat. 

“Use blackout curtains to keep out the most heat. The less heat coming into the home, the less the AC has to run to stay at temp. During the winter, let in as much sunlight as possible and close curtains at night to help trap heat in,” Osterkamp says.

Change your air filter

Make sure your air filter gets changed at least every six months. This is key because when your filter gets dirty or clogged, the system must work harder to pull air through it, using more energy and putting strain on your AC and furnace. 

“If your home gets a lot of foot traffic or you have pets, aim for every three months,” Osterkamp explains.

Utilize ceiling fans—even in the winter

During the summer, make sure your ceiling fan is set to spin counterclockwise. 

“This directly pushes air down, creating a nice breeze that can make you feel several degrees cooler without having to touch the thermostat,” says Osterkamp.

In the winter, switch your ceiling fans to spin clockwise, which will pull cool air up from the floor and force warmer air down the walls, helping to keep heat more evenly distributed in the room.