What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat In The Winter?

Heating your home this Winter can consume a lot of energy, so you need to find a way to reduce heating costs and keep your family warm throughout the months. One way to save energy and reduce your heating bill is to choose the best temperature to keep your home’s temperature at the right comfort level.

You have to consider variables when setting your thermostat, like time of day, how many people are home, and your home’s size. However, you can follow a few quick home heating rules to ensure your home stays at the ideal temperature this Winter:

  • When Home: 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • When Sleeping: 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • When You’re Away: 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Adjust thermostat in 5-8 degree increments.

Winter months bring frigid winds and snowstorms that lower the temperature throughout your home. Adjusting your thermostat settings throughout the day can make everyone comfortable and reduce energy bills for home heating.

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The Best Thermostat Settings For Your Home

Homeowners are always looking to reduce their energy usage- not only is this recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy because it helps the environment, but finding the right thermostat setting can result in significant energy savings throughout Winter.

You & Your Family Ideal Indoor Temperature
When Home 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit
When Sleeping 65 degrees Fahrenheit
When Away 65 degrees Fahrenheit

Even though you may have to fight with your spouses or children to choose the right temperature, it is essential that your family can agree on. Here are a few quick tips to help you lower utility bills while maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature that everyone can enjoy!

1. Choose A Temperature Everyone Can Enjoy

Everyone has a different comfort level, so you will need to choose a thermostat temperature in the Winter that works for your family. As you debate different temperatures with your family, you should also think about different home temperatures throughout the day.

The ideal temperature for living spaces is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while bedrooms should usually be a bit cooler at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Your body temperature fluctuates when you are sleeping, and you can improve your sleep by keeping your home temperature lower at night.

You can also reduce your thermostat settings when your family is out of the house for more than 2 hours. Reducing your thermostat to 68 at night and when no one is home can reduce your HVAC heating bill by 20% or more each month.

2. Gradually Lower Temperature Settings

When the first cold snap hits, your family will crank up the warm air to get back to the indoor temperature you’re used to from Fall. However, after a few weeks, your family will begin to adapt to the lower temperatures and won’t need such a high air setting to be comfortable.

Once you and your family are acclimated to winter weather, you can try to decrease your home’s temperature by 1 degree each week. According to ENERGY STAR, this 1-degree difference may not seem like a lot, but over a few days, you could start to see a 1% savings in your home’s utility bills.

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3. Adjust Home Temperature Zones

A multi-zone heating and cooling system allow you to adjust your HVAC system at a different comfortable temperature in various areas of your home. Each area has its thermostat so that you can keep different temperatures based on the needs of different zones throughout your home.

Multi-zone heating and cooling systems are more complex than a standard HVAC system, but if you have one, you can use a few simple tips to find the perfect thermostat temperature for different areas of your home:

  • Lower bedroom temperature to around 68.
  • Keep the temperature in living areas around 72.
  • Increase the thermostat temperature downstairs and in basements.
  • Lower temperature for zones with lots of direct sunlight.
  • Lower temperature settings for rooms rarely used or are only used for a few hours a day.

While multi-zone heating systems are more expensive, they provide you and your family with the most control over the indoor temperature throughout your home. You can program a standard setting for each zone of your home based on use, time of day, and other factors.

4. Invest In A Programmable Thermostat

There is no perfect interior temperature that everyone in your family will love. Still, you can invest in a smart thermostat to make it easier to identify opportunities to save energy and reduce your energy bills.

A programmable thermostat is an excellent option for homeowners because this type of thermostat can be used to control the thermostat and temperature in your home automatically.

No matter what type of HVAC system you have, you can use a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature in your home at specific times throughout the day. Here are a few suggestions to make the most out of your thermostat settings:

  • Lower your home temperature when no one is at home for 2 hours or more.
  • Reduce thermostat settings at night when everyone is sleeping to reduce heating costs and improve sleep quality.
  • Connect your thermostat to your smartphone to control your thermostat from anywhere.

A smart thermostat can help you keep your home at a comfortable temperature throughout the day. You can also choose several thermostats that allow you to connect through an app so you can adjust temperature settings in your home if you forget to lower the temperature before you head out.

5. Maintain Your Heating System

You can have the best smart thermostat and the most advanced multi-zone HVAC system, but if you don’t keep your system maintained, then you could find yourself left out in the cold with high utility bills and frequent repairs. Here are a few tips to keep your heating system working its best this Winter and prevent unwanted repairs along the way:

  • Replace your air filter each month to ensure enough fresh air reaches your HVAC unit.
  • Keep chairs, tables, and other obstacles away from air vents to ensure warm air can circulate your home.
  • Keep surrounding shrubbery trimmed around your outdoor cooling and heating unit.
  • Schedule preventative home heating maintenance each year before cold weather hits. Preventative maintenance can catch small problems before they grow into expensive repairs.

It can be easy for homeowners to overlook the “simple” parts to keep your home temperature at the right level for the family, and essential HVAC maintenance is one of the items most people forget about. Keep your air filter clean and air vents free to see a dramatic impact on your energy bill, home’s temperature, and energy usage this Winter.

Best Thermostat Settings For Your Home In Winter

Maintaining your home temperature is an essential part of living through Winter, and you can use some of the simple tips above to reduce your conserve energy and reduce your energy bill, all while maintaining a comfortable temperature for your family through the winter months.

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Winter Thermostat Settings F.A.Q.s

What temperature should I keep my thermostat in winter?
  • When Home: 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • When Sleeping: 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • When You’re Away: 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Adjust thermostat in 5-8 degree increments.
Is it best to keep my home temperature low all day?

You should lower the temperature of your thermostat when your family is out of the house for at least 2 hours and when sleeping. This will help reduce energy cost and improve your family’s quality of sleep. 

How can I improve furnace efficiency?
  • Replace your furnace filter each month to ensure enough fresh air reaches your HVAC unit.
  • Keep chairs, tables, and other obstacles away from air vents to ensure warm air can circulate your home.
  • Keep surrounding shrubbery trimmed around your cooling and heating unit.
  • Schedule preventative home heating maintenance each year before cold weather hits. Preventative maintenance can catch small problems before they grow into expensive repairs.