What are the best thermostat settings for winter? The ideal thermostat setting keeps you warm but also doesn’t light up your electricity bill to get it done. In this article we’ll explore the best temperature settings for winter and provide an example thermostat schedule .
Key Takeaways
Keeping in mind both energy efficiency and comfort, the the best thermostat settings for winter are 68°F when you are home, 65-68°F when you sleep and and 55-60°F when you’re away.
What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat at in Winter?
Here are our recommended settings for your thermostat during the winter:
- Best Winter Thermostat Setting When at Home: 68° is a good target for your thermostat setting when you are at home. If you are used to having your home at 72°, that likely sounds too cold. Drop the thermostat setting by 1 degree each day to acclimate to the lower temperature.
- Best Winter Thermostat Setting When Away from Home: 55-60° is the recommended setting when you are away from home. Making this adjustment can help you save up to 10% annually on heating costs, according to the US Department of Energy.
- Best Winter Thermostat Setting For Sleeping: 65-68° is the thermostat setting for the best sleep quality, according to Sleep Foundation.
This handy chart makes it easy to see the best settings for heating during the winter.
Sample Schedule for Winter Thermostat Settings
We recommend a programmable thermostat to manage your settings, preferably a Wi-Fi version that you can control remotely. That lets you make any needed adjustments if your schedule changes. And a programmable thermostat has been shown to boost energy efficiency, as we often forget to manually adjust the temperature.
Here’s a suggested winter heating schedule for your thermostat. Adjust this to fit your needs!
| Thermostat Setting | Time Period | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 68°F | 6-8am | Wake; prepare for the day. |
| 55-60°F | 8am - 3pm | Away from home |
| 68°F | 3pm-8pm | Warm up house for return home from school/work |
| 65°F | 8pm - 6am | Start the cool-down process for sleep. |
Stay Warm at Home Without Adjusting the Thermostat
Here are some ways to stay warm at home without touching that thermostat.
- Dress appropriately for the season, even if you are inside. Feel a chill? Put on a sweater!
- Open the blinds to welcome in the natural heating of the sun.
- Reverse your ceiling fans. Reverse your ceiling fans to run clockwise. This helps to pull cool air up and push warm air down.
- Seal air leaks and gaps under your exterior doors. In a pinch, place a rolled towel at the based of your door to block any drafts.
For more ideas on keeping your home warm in the winter, read our DIY Home Energy Audit!
FAQs About Home Heating
Your HVAC system may use natural gas to generate heat, but blower uses electricity to move that heat around your home. That can lead to a double whammy during heating season, impacting both your gas and electric bills.
Space heaters are a great option if you want to heat a small area of your home. Make sure to size the heater properly; you’ll need 10 watts of heating power for every square foot of the room you are heating. Remember that running a space heater 8+ hours a day can add up to $40 or more to your bill.
If you have infants or elderly in your household, keep the thermostat setting no lower than 65°
The best thermostat setting for winter vacation is 50-55°. If you are in an area that is prone to snow and freezing temperatures, you may consider a slightly higher temperature, but nothing above 60° is necessary. And if you have pets that are staying home with a pet sitter stopping by, set your thermostat no lower than 65° for their comfort. That’s the lowest vet-recommended setting for both cats and dogs.
