Now, let's say you typically keep your home thermostat set at 68°F. If you reduce that temperature to 60°F for eight hours each night, you can save $200 each year or more, depending on the type of fuel you use. If you do the same while you are gone during the day, you can double your savings.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners can save on utility bills by turning down their thermostats before they go to sleep and during the daytime hours when/if no one is home. You can save an average of 1% on energy costs for every degree reduced on your thermostat.
It's best to set them at a comfortable temperature and forget it. Adjusting the temperature for short periods of time, such as overnight, will not save money with heat pumps.
Alternate forms of heat can help you lower that temperature for an additional cost and energy savings. Nighttime: “Lower the thermostat setting by a few degrees during the night, ideally around 62°F-65°F,” suggests Roberson.
The sleeping temperature recommended by every study is different, but most studies recommend setting your thermostat to about 65ºF (18.5ºC) overnight.
There have been many reports from doctors that sleeping with the heating on all night can cause your body to overheat much more quickly. The Sleep Charity advises that an ideal bedroom temperature is 16-18 degrees celsius. Temperatures over 24 degrees celsius can impact your sleep and cause restlessness.
When it comes to the best temperature for your furnace in the winter at night, it is time to turn that thermostat down. As a general rule, the recommended heater temperature at night is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. A thermostat setting of around 65 degrees is actually better for your health.
Sleep experts believe the best temperature for great sleep is between 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit. But in addition to making you uncomfortable and interfering with healthy sleep patterns, being too hot at any time of day or night can cause health risks like dehydration and heat stroke.
HVAC replacement companies recommend turning the temperature down by at least eight degrees before you go to sleep for eight hours or more, depending on how long you sleep at night.
The World Health Organization recommends keeping indoor temperatures between 64 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit for healthy people. The minimum temperature should be kept above 68 degrees Fahrenheit to protect the very young, the elderly, or people with health problems. Watch out for signs of hypothermia.
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.
General recommendations for winter thermostat settings: If someone is at home in the daytime, 72° F (22° C) is a good start, but aim for 68° F (20° C). If everyone is away from home in the daytime or you're asleep at night, we feel 66° F (19° C) to 62° F (17° C) is best.
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.
The Bottom Line
Turning down your thermostat at night or while you're away is a proven way to save money on your heating bills. By reducing your home's rate of heat loss and running your furnace less often, thermostat setbacks are an easy and effective energy-saving strategy.
To save money, aim to have your temperature set around 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit when you're at home and awake. This is a comfortable temperature for most with the help of a light sweater. Overnight and when you're out, around 64 degrees Fahrenheit will keep your home at a good temperature.
A better idea: Turn the heat down, not off
Here's the secret: Set the temperature of your home at least eight degrees lower for the eight hours or so that you sleep at night. Every degree you lower the thermostat can net you an estimated 1% off your heating bill.
While there are occupants in the house, it is advised for homeowners to set their thermostats between 68 and 72 degrees to promote maximum comfort. A pleasant temperature for everyone in the house, regardless of the apparel they are wearing, is between 68 and 72 degrees, which is neither too warm nor too cool.
Should I leave my heating on all night? Leaving your heating on all night may keep you warm, but it will also cause an increase in your energy bills. The best way to save money and energy is by only using your heating when you need it.
The best room temperature for sleep is approximately 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius). This may vary by a few degrees from person to person, but most doctors recommend keeping the thermostat set between 65 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 20 degrees Celsius) for the most comfortable sleep.
If you're cold even though your thermostat indicates you shouldn't be, your furnace likely isn't the problem. In most cases, it's working just fine. It's your home that needs attention. Lack of insulation, severe air leakage, and/or unbalanced ductwork are frequently to blame.
Your body heat peaks late afternoon and then starts to drop in the evening to prepare your body for sleep, kickstarting melatonin production. An ideal bedroom temperature is around 16-18°C (60-65°F).
To create that sleep-worthy environment, bedroom temperature should be kept at a consistent 17 degrees Celsius during the night, or at a minimum a few degrees colder than in the daytime.
Generally, it's useful to have your heating come on around half an hour before you get up in the morning. Then, have turn it off again around half an hour before you go to bed. If you're planning on being out of the house, you can turn the heating off while nobody's in.
You can easily save energy in the winter by setting the thermostat to around 68°F to 70°F while you're awake and setting it lower while you're asleep or away from home.