Get the Most from Your Smart Thermostat:
The Best Thermostat Settings for Maryland All Year Long
Maryland weather can be unpredictable, harsh, and extreme. With high humidity, freezing winters, suffocating summers, and sporadic changes in fall and spring, it can be a lot for your HVAC unit to handle.
One of the best ways to protect your HVAC unit during extreme seasons, while still cooling and heating your house, is to invest in a smart thermostat and set up your programmable schedule. A programmable thermostat allows you to better climate control your home without wasting energy when no one is around.
Get the best tips about thermostat settings for winter, summer, fall, and spring. We break down what is the optimal temperature for nighttime, morning, afternoon, and evening, all while considering different schedules, family habits, and more.
First Things First: What’s the Difference Between a Smart Thermostat and a Programmable Thermostat?
Both a smart thermostat and a programmable thermostat are a good investment for your home. These thermostats vs. traditional thermostats allow you to program a schedule or have temperature settings adjust automatically based on your home habits.
This reduces how much energy you are using when you’re not home, asleep, or away on vacation, so you see energy savings and a longer HVAC lifespan.
Smart Thermostat vs Programmable Thermostat
Smart Thermostat: Smart thermostats connect to your Wi-Fi and pair with your smartphone to pick up scheduling habits in the home. It automatically adjusts the temperature based on how many people are home, when you often enter the house, and nighttime routines to save energy. You can alter the setting at any time on your smartphone and grant multiple people access in your home.
Programmable Thermostat: Programmable thermostats let you set schedules ahead of time for temperature changes. You can set different temperature settings for different times of day and customize these for every day of the week. This is perfect for a set-and-forget each season and can be worked around hobbies, daily work hours, and more. However, you will need to adjust the schedule each season or when your schedule changes, so set a reminder now not to forget!
Make the right decision – see our complete breakdown of smart thermostats vs programmable thermostats and the pros and cons of each.
Seasonal Thermostat Settings for Maryland
Winter Thermostat Settings
Maryland winters are often cold, with temperatures dropping below freezing. The trick to your winter thermostat settings is staying warm but avoiding high heating costs.
Best Thermostat Settings for Winter
Home: Set your thermostat to 66-68°F during the day when you are home. This is warm enough for comfort but still energy-efficient. Pair your thermostat setting with longer layers, fuzzy socks, or long sleeves if you still feel a chill on colder days.
Away: Lower your thermostat to 62–64°F when you leave for work or extended trips. Use your smart thermostat to raise the heat before you come home or set your programmable thermostat to raise the heat an hour before your work day ends so you never notice the difference.
Night: If you like sleeping in a cool room, set it to 65°F and use warm blankets to stay cozy. This will help with winter energy savings overnight and you can have the heat programmed to rise back up an hour before your alarm goes off so you’re welcomed to a warm house in the morning.
Extra Tips for Winter Energy Savings
- Use a smart thermostat’s learning feature so it will automatically adjust the temperature based on your habits and you don’t need to worry about changing the temperature
- Schedule your programmable thermostat to lower the temperature when you’re away and warm up before you return so you never notice the difference (except in your lower energy bills)
- Close the curtains at night and get thick, climate-control curtains for windows that are extra drafty
Seal drafts around doors and windows at the end of fall each year to help keep the heat in
Spring Thermostat Settings
Spring in Maryland can be unpredictable. Some days are chilly, and others feel like summer. This means your thermostat settings need to be flexible so you stay comfortable without overworking your HVAC unit.
Best Thermostat Settings for Spring
Home: Keep it at 68–70°F, depending on how warm or cool it feels inside. With a smart thermostat, you can set your preferred climate-controlled temperature and it will automatically engage the heat or AC as needed.
Away: If temperatures are mild, turn your thermostat off completely or set it to 60°F. This is where you can see the most energy savings.
Night: A setting between 62–67°F works well for sleeping in the spring, so your house stays comfortable without overworking the HVAC unit.
Extra Tips for Spring Energy Savings
- Use your thermostat’s auto mode so it will switch between heating and cooling as needed without having to constantly monitor it
- Take advantage of natural airflow in the spring by opening windows on mild days instead of using your HVAC system
- Change your air filters because pollen and dust from spring can clog your system, reducing efficiency and making the system work harder
Summer Thermostat Settings
Maryland summers can get hot and humid, making air conditioning a necessity. But running the AC all day can be expensive, so smart thermostat settings are key to keeping cool but not breaking the bank.
Best Thermostat Settings for Summer
Home: Set your thermostat to 76-78°F to stay comfortable while saving energy; be mindful of the heat outside so you don’t strain your air conditioning system set at too low a temperature
Away: Increase the temperature to 82–85°F when you’re not so you’re not cooling an empty house but still keeping it comfortable and reducing humidity
Night: Lower the thermostat settings to 72–74°F if you like a cooler sleeping environment; use fans or open windows when possible to aid in cooling down the house naturally.
Extra Tips for Summer Energy Savings
- Use your smart thermostat schedules: program the thermostat to increase the temperature when you’re at work and cool down before you return
- Close the blinds during the day in the summer to keep out the sun’s heat
- Use ceiling fans to help circulate cool air, which will allow you to reduce your energy usage
- Upgrade your smart thermostat to a newer model that has humidity detection
Fall Thermostat Settings
Fall in Maryland means cooler temperatures are coming, but you might still need occasional AC or heat as the weather changes. It’s the best time to prep your thermostat settings for winter and make sure your HVAC unit is inspected with a $90 heating and cooling check so you’re not caught by breakdowns or other surprises.
Best Thermostat Settings for Fall
Home: Keep it at 65–70°F during the day, based on the temperature outside.
Away: Set it around 60°F if it’s cool outside so your home stays comfortable without high energy usage.
Night: Drop it to 62–67°F for comfortable sleeping that isn’t too warm or too cold, based on the changing weather patterns.
Extra Tips for Fall Energy Savings
- Schedule an HVAC Tune-Up – Fall is a great time for an HVAC check to prepare for winter. For only $90, Shamrock HVAC Services can complete a heating and cooling check for you.
Why Smart Thermostats Help You Save Money
A smart thermostat installation can save you up to 10-15% on heating and cooling costs by automatically adjusting temperatures. This is one of the best ways for homeowners to invest in comfortable climate control without rising energy bills or overworking their HVAC unit during extreme seasons.
If you don’t already have a smart thermostat, consider upgrading. Shamrock HVAC offers professional thermostat installation to help you save energy and improve comfort.
Smart Thermostats:
✔️ Learn Your Schedule – Because they link with your home smart system, they are alerted when you’re home or away to help change the temperature for optimal energy efficiency
✔️ Remote Control – You can adjust settings from your phone at any time, so you never need to worry about leaving the heat on or coming home early from work to a cold house
✔️ Energy Reports – Many smart thermostats provide reports on your energy usage so you can make decisions in real-time about how to best save money
✔️ Voice Control – Some work with Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free adjustments, allowing you to easily change the temperature from anywhere, anytime
Getting the Most from Your Thermostat and Seeing New Energy Savings
No matter what season it is in Maryland, using the right thermostat settings can keep you comfortable and save money. Smart thermostats and programmable thermostats can help you stay on top of temperature changes and climate control settings for the best comfort – and best energy savings.
If you need help with thermostat installation, contact Shamrock HVAC today! We make it easy to get the most out of your smart thermostat or programmable thermostat while keeping your home comfortable all year long.
Want to upgrade your HVAC system? Call Shamrock HVAC for expert installation and maintenance services!
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