Heating and cooling account for more than half of an average member’s electric bill. One way to save is to turn down your thermostat to 68 degrees (or lower) in the winter. Every degree of setback for eight hours a day can reduce heating bills by 1-3%. In the summer, turn up your thermostat to 78 degrees (or higher) in the summer. Every degree you raise your thermostat for eight hours a day in the summer can reduce cooling bills by 3-5%. Your HVAC unit runs longer during prolonged periods of extremely hot and bitterly cold weather because it’s working to keep your home interior at the temperature you have chosen on the thermostat.