Myth or Fact: Turning Your Heater Off While You’re Away Saves Money

Posted on January 19, 2023 •

It’s no secret that keeping your commercial facility at a comfortable temperature can quickly rack up utility bills and have a significant impact on a business’ operating costs. In fact, some experts predict that heating, cooling, and ventilation account for up to 40% of commercial energy usage.

If you’re a commercial facilities manager, you’re likely always on the lookout for ways to save. Our commercial service techs get the question time and time again—  Is it cheaper to turn our heater off when we’re not using it, or should we keep it on so it doesn’t have to work extra hard to reheat the space?

We brought in the expert on building maintenance, Andy Powne, Mark III’s Service Division Manager, to get to the bottom of this age-old debate.

“We often hear people concerned that their HVAC unit will have to work ‘extra hard’ to bring the temperature back up, which is not possible because common HVAC systems operate at one speed,” Andy advises. “However, your HVAC unit will have to work extra long which is where you see the cost of energy bills start to rise,” he adds. “The idea that turning your heater completely off when it’s not being used saves money is definitely a myth.”

So what’s the most cost-effective way to run your heater during cold winter months?

“When the last person vacates your commercial building at night, have them lower the temperature 10-15 degrees for maximum cost savings” Andy suggests.

Lowering your thermostat 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day could save you up to 10 percent of your energy costs each year according to the U.S. Department of Energy, or about 1 percent for each degree you turn back the thermostat.

“Better yet, put it on a timer so you don’t have to think about heating maintenance!”

Let a programmable thermostat collect the savings for you

As a business owner, we know you’ve got bigger things to worry about than heating maintenance. Let a programmable thermostat do the work for you!

Installing a programmable thermostat can give you peace of mind that your building is maximizing energy savings on heating (and cooling) costs.

Mark III Service is here to help you choose and install the perfect programmable thermostat system for your commercial facility’s HVAC system. Beyond that, we offer fast, friendly, and reliable building maintenance for all trades.

Contact us today!

Service Request

Related Posts