As the colder months approach, you might wonder about the best temperature to set your thermostat during the winter to balance your family’s comfort with the need to manage your heating bills. This can be even more challenging when different people who live in your home disagree about what a comfortable temperature is. Battling over the thermostat can waste energy and cause tension. However, when you know the right temperature setting for your thermostat when the weather is colder, you can be more comfortable while saving energy and money.
What the Experts Say
The ENERGY STAR experts recommend that people set their thermostats to 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter months. This setting is meant to help people remain comfortable while also saving energy and money. The reason why the government considers this to be the best heat setting is that 68 degrees is high enough to allow your heating system to warm your home’s interior air and counteract heat loss through your home’s doors, windows, and walls. At this temperature, you won’t be overheating your home and will maintain a fairly comfortable indoor air temperature.
Researchers have also found that a temperature of 68 degrees meets the preferences of most people. At this temperature, most people won’t feel the need to layer clothing because of the cold and will also not feel uncomfortably hot. However, some people may still feel this temperature is too low for their personal preference. If you tend to feel cold easily, you might adjust your thermostat by a degree or two.
Importance of Proper Thermostat Placement
Your temperature setting alone is not enough to save you money during the winter. Your energy savings also depend on the proper placement of your thermostat.
A thermostat should ideally be placed near your home’s center on an interior wall. This placement helps your thermostat measure your home’s interior temperature more accurately. If you can also place your thermostat near rooms with the most traffic, this can be helpful because those are the areas where your family wants the temperature to be the most comfortable.
When picking the place to install your thermostat, avoid the following for the greatest accuracy:
- Areas with direct exposure to sunlight
- Placements above vents
- Kitchen walls
- Areas near windows or doors
- Hallways
How Adjusting a Thermostat Can Save Energy
Your home’s heating system generates heat to fight against cold air that enters your home from outside. When the difference between the outdoor and indoor temperatures is large, your furnace must work harder to maintain your family’s desired indoor temperature.
When you set your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the difference between your home’s indoor temperature and the temperature outside will be moderate. This helps your furnace to operate without being placed under too much strain. Ignoring your thermostat’s optimal setting or allowing your indoor temperatures to fluctuate frequently can lead to energy waste and higher bills.
Choosing an optimal thermostat setting of 68 degrees can result in long-term savings. When you turn your thermostat down by seven to 10 degrees when you are away from home at work or school for eight hours, you might realize savings of as much as 10% on your heating bills annually.
Some times to adjust your thermostat down to save money include:
- Night time when you go to bed
- Day time when your home’s unoccupied
- Vacation when you’re gone for an extended period
If you have a programmable thermostat, you can schedule it to increase the temperature setting about 30 minutes to one hour before your return when you’re away for work or on vacation. This will give your furnace enough time to heat your home so that it is warm when you get back without having to pay to unnecessarily heat your home while you’re gone.
Similarly, you can program your thermostat to heat your home to your preferred temperature 30 minutes before you get up each morning. That will keep you from waking up when it’s cold and make it easier for you to get out of bed.
Upgrade Your Thermostat to Maximize Savings
Modern HVAC systems provide comfort for your whole home and are energy efficient. While you can use a regular thermostat with your HVAC system and adjust the temperature setting down by 10 degrees Fahrenheit right before bed and again before you leave your home in the morning, a smart thermostat makes this task much simpler and delivers more comfort.
A smart thermostat allows you to enter your schedule to adjust the temperature automatically at night and when you will be away. You won’t have to worry about forgetting to turn the thermostat down at night or when you will be away, and you also won’t have to come home to a cold house or struggle to get out of bed in cool indoor temperatures.
A programmable thermostat allows you to set different temperatures throughout each day and can vary by the day of the week. While a programmable thermostat can provide multiple benefits, you must still use it properly to achieve the results you desire. If you change the temperature setting too often, the frequent fluctuations can eradicate any savings you might otherwise realize.
When you upgrade to a smart thermostat and use it correctly, you can ensure your home remains at your desired temperature at the specific times you want. Smart thermostats learn your family’s daily patterns and optimize the temperatures to maximize efficiency and energy savings. You can control a smart thermostat remotely from your mobile device. They also give you performance alerts, and some have digital displays.
Installing a smart thermostat allows you to manage your home’s temperature wherever you are. You can also integrate a smart thermostat with other smart home devices for greater control.
Role of Your HVAC System’s Efficiency
Even if you upgrade your thermostat and carefully change your settings for the winter months, it won’t make a big difference if your HVAC system is old and inefficient. Older furnaces are not as energy efficient as modern ones and use more energy to heat your home. Other problems with your current system, including clogged filters, inadequate insulation, or holes in ducts, can greatly reduce its performance.
Because of these issues, it’s a good idea to schedule regular maintenance of your furnace before winter. An HVAC technician from Black Lion Heating & Air Conditioning in Seattle, WA can thoroughly inspect your furnace, ductwork, and thermostat; replace worn components; clean and oil parts where needed; and make recommendations for any upgrades you might want to consider.
When it’s time to replace your furnace, you can choose a new unit with a higher energy efficiency rating and pair it with a smart thermostat to boost your home’s energy efficiency. New furnaces help to improve comfort and maintain a consistent temperature with variable heating phases.
Talk to Our HVAC Professionals
Our HVAC professionals at Black Lion Heating & Air Conditioning have proudly served the residents of Seattle, WA and the surrounding area for more than two decades. We offer a variety of cooling and heating services, including furnace installation and repair. We also provide electrical, indoor air, and duct services.
Contact our HVAC professionals today at Black Lion Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more!