Turn Down the Heat When You're Out

Some folks I've talked to were under the impression that turning the heat down when you leave doesn't net much energy savings because the house has to warm back up. This guy's got the scoop on why lowering the temperature nets you more savings despite having to warm/cool the house again.

Ask Pablo: Turn Down The Heat! : TreeHugger: "Dear Pablo: I have heard that using a programmable thermostat to lower the temperature while you are out saves energy but isn't the same amount of energy used to bring the temperature back up when you come home?

The short answer is no. Because the rate of heat transfer through an insulated (or uninsulated for that matter) floor, ceiling, or wall is dependent on the temperature difference between the inside and outside air, less energy is lost to the outside when the inside air is cooler."