Generally speaking, your thermostat is a fairly simple device. This is particularly true if you are still using an older, manual thermostat with a dial and a slider. When you want more heat in the wintertime, you just turn up the thermostat and get the extra heat. And when it’s too stuffy? You turn the thermostat back down. Pretty basic stuff, right?
But, adjusting your thermostat with this “up-and-down” pattern based on how warm your house currently feels can waste energy without providing better comfort—it can even shorten the service life of your heating system due to the extra strain.