RE: Heat question

["Randall" <tr3driver@comcast.net>]

> The loss comes in if you set the thermostat to bring the temperature up to
> 70 degrees at the time that everyone's going to get up or get
> home.  In that
> situation the furnace will have to turn on far sooner with a 20 degree
> setback than if the setback were only 10 degrees.  you won't leave it set
> back as long.  That will certainly cut the savings, and at some
> point there
> may be less savings from a deeper setback.

I disagree.  The savings will be less than if you set 70 degrees later, but
you will always save more energy by using a lower setback temperature.
Unless of course your setback temp is below ambient <g>

And while it does cost something to stop and start the furnace, it's not a
huge amount.  IMO the main loss is the extra time the fan runs (assuming
your fossil fuel costs less than electricity).

Randall