Setpoint savings estimator
What this is: A simple teaching estimate of how a more efficient thermostat setpoint might move your energy bill — useful when you’re weighing comfort vs. cost.
When to use it: You’re thinking about raising the AC setpoint a few degrees, or lowering heat a bit while you’re away or asleep.
How to use the inputs: Choose cooling or heating. Enter your current setpoint, the target you’d try, a typical monthly energy bill, and how many hours per day you could hold the efficient setting.
How to read the result: It’s an illustration based on rough rules of thumb — not your utility’s rate schedule, not Manual J, and not a promise. Use it to decide whether a schedule change is worth trying, then watch your next bill and how the house feels.
Safety / comfort limits: Don’t set temperatures that put vulnerable people at risk (infants, elderly, illness). Extreme setbacks can cause humidity, pipes, or mold issues in some homes. If anyone in the home has medical temperature needs, ask their clinician before big changes.