Most of the time, maintaining a comfortable temperature all day in the winter will cost more money than raising it a few degrees when you get home.
Keeping your home at a constant temperature generally means that your HVAC system will run constantly to meet it. This means that your furnace or air conditioner may run when you're asleep, at work, or out of the house. This wastes more energy than the minimal amount that you might save by having it constantly run.
Changing Your Thermostat Settings Increases Wear
So if you're constantly tinkering with your thermostat, you're forcing those systems to cycle on and off, increasing usage and overall system stress. This can lead to more maintenance, repairs, and a quicker need for replacement.
What the experts say. Our most trustworthy port of call for all things energy-efficiency, the Energy Saving Trust confirms that leaving your heating on all day in order to save money is a myth. According to them, having your heating on only when you need it is always best.
But as it turns out, the only real pro to keeping your thermostat one temperature is convenience. Sure, when you're away on vacation or gone for the weekend, the consistent temperature is efficient, but when you're at home, there are really no additional benefits.
You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting.
When You Run Your AC All Day, Temperature Is Everything. Yes, we have said that it is usually cheaper to keep your air conditioner on all day, but this is only true if you have it set to the right temperature. This method works when you keep it at a higher temperature (albeit lower than however hot it is outside).
Energy.gov suggests that 68 degrees is a good room temperature while you're awake at home but recommends lowering it while you're asleep or away. Lowering your thermostat 7-10 degrees for eight hours a day can reduce your annual heating expenses by as much as 10 percent.
While some people may prefer the first strategy, the second way is likely to be cheaper. If people are at home all day, or coming in and out pretty constantly, it might make more sense to leave the heat on instead of flipping it on and off repeatedly.
Yes, open doors are generally better in winter to maintain a consistent temperature. They allow your heating system to distribute warm air evenly across rooms, improving comfort and efficiency while preventing energy waste.
You just program it to turn the heat or air conditioning down in the mornings when you leave for work and back up when you get home. It saves time, energy, and money. In summary, DON'T constantly change the thermostat setting when you are home—it wastes money, energy, and leads to equipment breakdowns.
On the one hand, keeping a constant temperature can be more energy-efficient in some cases because your HVAC system doesn't have to work as hard switching between temperatures. However, this approach can also lead to wasted energy if you're heating or cooling your home when no one can enjoy it.
According to the Department of Energy1, 78° Fahrenheit is the sweet spot for air conditioners to balance energy savings and comfort when people are at home and need cooling. But in reality, this is a question that doesn't have a “one size fits all” answer.
Bottom line. Overall, keeping your heat set to 68°F to 70°F during the day, and 7°F to 10°F lower when you're not home, is the best way to save on heating costs.
In practical terms, setting your thermostat to 64°F while you're away instead of leaving it at 72°F results in your furnace running less often, which translates into savings.
It's More Advisable to Turn the Heat Down, Not Off
If you really want to save money and avoid the problems associated with turning off the heat at night, what you should do instead is just turn it down.
Thermostat settings play a pivotal role in managing your heating system's efficiency. It's a common misconception that leaving your heating on at a constant temperature is more energy-efficient than turning it on and off. Does turning the heat on and off raise the bill each month? The answer is no.
Is It More Energy-Efficient To Leave AC On? While you may initially think turning the air conditioning on and off will save energy and money, this is not the case because it will ultimately cause damage to the system and increase the amount of work for the HVAC system to keep your house cool.
According to the DOE, setting your thermostat back 7°F to 10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting can help you save up to 10% in energy costs. This means keeping your thermostat around 78°F in the summer (higher when you're asleep or away) or around 68°F to 70°F in the winter (lower when you're asleep or away).
You should set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature for your needs. For most people, this is between 18°C and 21°C.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends setting your thermostat no lower than 64 degrees (F) in the Winter months while people are in the home. If there are infants or elderly individuals, they recommend keeping the temperature at 70 degrees at a minimum.
Most of the time, maintaining a comfortable temperature all day in the winter will cost more money than raising it a few degrees when you get home. You don't have to shut it down altogether, but can set it to a low temperature like 58 or 60 degrees.
You can also reduce your energy costs significantly by raising the temperature while you are at work, away from home, or asleep. For the greatest savings, consider setting your thermostat to: About 78 degrees while you are at home. About 82 degrees while you are sleeping.
If the temperature is set to 74°F but the thermometer shows 78°F, you will have to recalibrate the thermostat to account for this 4-degree deviation. Even with older AC units or furnaces, you might have to recalibrate your thermostat from time to time.