Degree Days: How To Use Them To Figure Your Energy Use

Degree days help homeowners estimate their utility bill as well as give them in-depth information about what their energy costs are actually going toward. They can also help determine when and why they are using more energy throughout the course of the year.

Both heating and cooling degree days come into play. For both of them, take the difference between the current day’s temperature and the standard of 65 degrees to arrive at a total that is representative of your cooling and heating needs. If the average temperature for a day is 65 degrees, then there are no degree days. By taking the sum of degree days for an entire month, you can look at how energy efficient your home is from month to month.

For instance, if the high for the day is 90 degrees and the low is 70, then the average temperature is 80 degrees. Subtract the standard of 65 from 70 to arrive at 5 cooling degree days. You can then use this number to compare your energy use for various time periods, be it days, weeks or months.

Heating degree days work in much the same way except that the average temperature is subtracted from 65. So if the average for the day is 40, that day would have 25 heating degree days.

All of this information can be analyzed to get a much more thorough picture of how you are using your energy than a typical utility bill will be able to illustrate. This can help you be more prepared for your energy costs each month. You can also learn how to make adjustments to your energy usage that will help lower your expenses.

For more information about degree days, contact Rinaldi’s Air Conditioning. We have proudly served the Central Florida area for 42 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about degree days and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Rinaldi’s services Orlando, Florida and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!