The right winter setting is the lowest one that keeps you comfortable while you're home and awake, with a lower setting while you sleep or are away. Heat loss depends on the difference between indoor and outdoor temperature, so every degree lower saves energy.
The DOE says you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat down 7 to 10°F for 8 hours a day in fall and winter. For an example home spending about $829 a year on gas heat, that's up to about $83; with a heat pump, the DOE advises doing this only with a thermostat designed for heat pumps.
How setbacks save energy
A house loses heat faster the warmer it is inside compared with outside. While the temperature is set back, the house loses heat more slowly, and that saving outweighs the energy used to warm it back up. The longer and deeper the setback, the larger the saving.
What the saving looks like
Heat loss is proportional to the gap between indoor and outdoor temperature, so a lower setting shrinks that gap and slows the loss. As an example, a house held at 70°F against a 30°F outdoor temperature has a 40°F gap; setting it back to 62°F cuts the gap to 32°F, which is 20% less heat loss while the setback lasts (40 − 32 = 8, and 8 ÷ 40 = 0.20). The whole-day saving is smaller than that single number, because the setback covers only part of the day and the furnace then has to rewarm the house.
The DOE ties a 7 to 10°F setback held 8 hours a day to saving as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling. Applied to an example home that spends about $829 a year on gas heat, 10% of $829 is about $83 (0.10 × 829 = $82.90). That is a ceiling rather than a guarantee; the real figure depends on how cold your winter is, how deep and how long the setback runs, and your fuel price, which this example assumes at $1.35 per therm.
Suggested settings
- Home and awake: the lowest temperature you're comfortable at.
- Asleep: several degrees lower; many people sleep better in a cooler room.
- Away for the day: set back 7 to 10°F, as the DOE suggests for the largest savings.
- Away for days: lower still, but keep the house warm enough to protect pipes.
Away for several days
Keep the heat on and turned down, rather than off. Water expands as it freezes, so a pipe full of ice can split and then flood the house when it thaws. A deep setback saves the most while you are gone, but the setting still has to stay above the point where pipes in exterior walls and unheated spaces can freeze.
Homes with infants, older adults, or pets
A home with an infant, an older adult, or pets that feel the cold may need a warmer baseline than the lowest setting a healthy adult would tolerate, and a shallower overnight setback. Thermal comfort shifts with age and health, so the "lowest comfortable temperature" rule is a starting point, not a single number for everyone in the house.
Comfort and humidity
Dry winter air can make a room feel colder than its temperature. ENERGY STAR suggests 30% to 40% indoor humidity in cold climates during the heating season, enough for comfort without window condensation; see the ideal indoor humidity level. Sealing drafts also makes a lower setting feel warmer.
Heat pumps need gentler setbacks
With a heat pump, a deep setback can trigger the electric backup strips when the thermostat calls for a big rise, which costs far more than the heat pump itself. The DOE advises setting back a heat pump only with a smart or programmable thermostat designed for heat pumps, which recovers gradually; see heat pumps in cold weather.
The cost gap is large. A heat pump delivers up to about three times as much heat as the electricity it draws, while electric resistance strips turn one unit of electricity into one unit of heat (a COP of 1.0). For the same warmth, the strips can therefore use up to roughly three times the electricity the compressor would, so a setback that forces them on during recovery can wipe out the setback's saving.
A heat-pump thermostat avoids this by starting the rewarm early and leaning on the compressor instead of the strips.
Let a thermostat do it
A programmable or smart thermostat makes setbacks happen every day without you remembering. ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats are certified on field data to deliver savings; see smart thermostat savings.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good thermostat setting for winter?
The lowest temperature you're comfortable at while home and awake, set back 7 to 10°F while you sleep or are away.
How much can I save by turning down the thermostat?
As much as 10% a year on heating and cooling, according to the DOE, by setting it back 7 to 10°F for 8 hours a day.
Is it cheaper to leave the heat at one temperature?
No. A house loses heat more slowly when it's cooler inside, so setbacks save more than the energy used to warm back up, according to the DOE.
Should I set back a heat pump?
Only modestly, or with a thermostat designed for heat pumps, so the electric backup heat doesn't come on during recovery.
Is 68°F a good thermostat setting for winter?
68°F is a reasonable awake-time setting that many households find comfortable. Because heat loss grows with the gap between indoor and outdoor temperature, the cheapest comfortable choice is the lowest setting that still feels fine, followed by a 7 to 10°F setback while you sleep or are out.
Can I turn the heat off when I leave for a winter trip?
Better to turn it down than off. A house with no heat can let pipes in exterior walls and unheated spaces freeze, and because water expands as it freezes, a pipe can split and flood the house when it thaws. Keep the system running at a reduced setting that still protects the plumbing.
Sources & References
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