Hardy Vermonters save energy bills with modest thermostats

February 7, 2012

As temperatures fall and fuel prices rise, most Americans find themselves caught with higher energy bills.

The consequence seems inexorable, but many Vermont homeowners have found a way to beat the arithmetic. A recent study shows that the average Vermont resident saves $500 per year by simply setting the thermostat lower than Americans in other states, according to Greenbang.

A national energy audit performed in November showed that typical Vermont residents set their home thermostats at 63.4 degrees Fahrenheit - significantly lower than the average of 70 degrees in Oklahoma and 69.9 in Texas.

"If Vermonters set their thermostats like Texans, their heating bills would go through the roof," reported the energy efficiency software firm EnergyHub. "Why? Because Vermont has an average 7,746 heating degree days per year, while Texas has only 1,862."

The company performed its audit by compiling statistics from its Mercury smart thermostat platform, a remote home monitoring system that links a wi-fi enabled thermostat to mobile apps and internet software.

By adding up the average set-points chosen by its customers nationwide, EnergyHub found other hardy users living in New Hampshire (64.2 degrees) and Maine (65.5 degrees), and other easily chilled people huddling in Louisana and Mississippi (both 69.8 degrees).