Iowa weather is as tricky to cope with as anything you’ll find in the US. Temperatures can swing from 100°F to 40°F in a single day, and weeks often bob up and down. Using a smart thermostat makes a difference, but you have to know how to handle this region’s trickier temperature swings.
Why Iowa Weather Swings Make Thermostat Settings Tricky
Iowa is arguably one of the worst versions of a continental climate zone. That means there are no oceans or mountain ranges in the area to absorb big temperature swings. January temperatures can be in the single digits, while July temperatures can easily reach or exceed 90°F. Likewise, the humidity can go from wet to bone dry in no time.
These swings mean that HVACs in Iowa often run at peak capacity. Furnaces crank out heat during the winter, and AC units are cooling for much of the daytime in the summer.
Smart thermostats tend to work best in environments where the weather settles down long enough during the day to give the system a break. This allows the HVAC to operate efficiently when you’re not home, for example. Iowa homeowners, however, have to be more strategic in using their smart thermostats to balance both comfort and efficiency.
Best Smart Thermostat Settings for Cold Winter Days
The best target temperatures for indoor heating in the winter are 68-70°F in the day when you’re present and 65°F when you’re sleeping or away. Every degree of temperature setback saves about 1% of energy consumption per eight hours.
It might be tempting to use a more aggressive setback. However, the cost of recovering from a major setback may be prohibitive for most heating systems.
Best Smart Thermostat Settings for Hot Summer Days
Summer cooling can be just as much of a challenge. The targets for summer are:
- 74 to 76°F when you’re home
- 78 to 80°F when you are away
Iowa’s hottest summer hours are between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., so try to limit usage during this period. Temperatures in Iowa during the summer also tend to drop into the 60s at night, so consider using a high target for the AC and then opening windows.
Another recommendation is to use the auto setting for the fan rather than relying on continuous circulation. Continuous circulation tends to reintroduce humidity, creating more problems than it solves.
We strongly discourage a target temperature below 70°F. The process of cooling this much air is often unjustifiably expensive. Likewise, the improvement in comfort diminishes significantly below 70.
If your air conditioner struggles to maintain cooling without an aggressive target, you should ask us about air conditioning services.
How to Handle Spring and Fall Temperature Swings
The number one tip is not to lock into a seasonal mode right away. Keep your summer settings for at least a few weeks until fall settles down. Likewise, do the same as winter gives way to spring.
Also, make sure there’s a significant band gap between your cooling and heating targets. About 5°F is usually sufficient. You don’t want to pay to stage a battle between your heater and your AC, after all. Consider changing settings once a month rather than twice a year, too. This ensures your smart thermostat’s target temperatures are more in line with current conditions.
When to Override Your Schedule for Comfort or Efficiency
Overriding is a good choice in a handful of situations. Vacation temperatures, for example, should focus on efficiency. Likewise, ramping up cooling in the summer when you have guests is a good idea. Short overrides are also fine when the temperature swings radically, such as a cold night in late summer.
Signs Your Thermostat Settings Need a Professional Review
Our technicians encourage customers to request a review if the indoor temperature is regularly more than three degrees off target. You also should ask for a review if your energy bills rose quickly without an obvious reason. We can check your thermostat if it seems to be triggering short cycles, too. Homeowners also should request a review if they’ve made multiple thermostat adjustments without much improvement in comfort or efficiency.
Get Help Setting Up Your Thermostat the Right Way
Beeline Heating and Cooling serves Ames, IA, and the Greater Des Moines Metro. We employ insured and highly trained technicians who provide upfront pricing for all projects. You can even turn to us for help with emergencies 24/7.
Contact Beeline Heating and Cooling today to request smart thermostat installation or schedule an AC repair if your system can’t keep your home cool.
