As we talked about above, keeping your home between 62 – 72 at all times will be the best solution. In fact, having a period of a lower temperature (about 8 hours) at night when you're tucked up in bed (or when you're out at work during the day) could help you reduce your
To save energy and save on heating costs, the Department of Energy (DOE) says to set the indoor temperature between 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit when you're home, and drop the temperature at night or when you're away.
The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. 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.
For short periods of time away, like going to work, we'd recommend a temperature of around 55 – 60 degrees (F). While away on long periods of time, such as vacation, we don't recommend setting the temperature any lower than 50 degrees (F).
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).
One great way to lower energy costs is to avoid cooling an empty house. This is especially true during the middle of the day. If everyone in your household is either at work or school, then turning the temperature to 78-80 degrees will save you a chunk of change when the energy bill arrives.
In general, the ideal room temperature and your home for both efficiency and comfort fall somewhere between 68° and 76°F. What should the average room temperature be in winter? In the winter, you might choose to keep your thermostat set lower around 68° in order to save energy and dollars on your next heating bill.
Experts typically recommend maintaining an indoor temperature of at least 60°F to ensure both comfort and safety. Temperatures below this threshold can create risks for your health and home.
But while a lower temperature may reduce your heating bill, it could mean disaster if a cold temperatures hit, and your pipes freeze and burst. This doesn't mean you have to keep your house as warm as normal — any temperature 55 degrees or higher is appropriate to keep your pipes safe.
Many regions have laws that require buildings to provide heat for tenants once the temperature falls below a certain threshold, often between 55°F and 60°F, particularly during specified months, often October through April.
Did you know you can save up to 10% a year on your heating and cooling expenses by simply setting your thermostat back 7° to 10°F for 8 hours each day. * That means you can adjust your thermostat before leaving for work and before bed each day and potentially see real savings on your electricity bill.
The ideal temperature to set your thermostat to while you're away is around 55°F (13°C). This setting is low enough to save energy yet high enough to keep your pipes from freezing. This is a common concern, and keeping it at 55°F strikes a balance between energy efficiency and home safety.
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.
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.
Don't turn your thermostat down below 65 degrees during extreme cold. Further drops in temperature could be enough to cause a problem, especially inside walls where pipes are located. Your heating bill may go up a little, but that's better than an expensive repair job if a pipe freezes and bursts.
So, exactly how cold does it need to be before you do this? Southern Living says professionals list the threshold temperature for pipes to freeze at 20 degrees Fahrenheit, meaning this or anything below can create a potential for water to turn to ice in your pipes.
Frozen pipes generally occur below 20° F. But freezing can happen above that threshold as well, especially if you have uninsulated pipes running through an uninsulated space. Keep garage doors closed, especially if there are water supply lines in the garage.
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.
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.
“You can't get sick from being cold in general, whether you're outside or inside,” Fecher says.
But don't take it from us, take it from the World Health Organization: They recommend a temperature of at least 64°… and raising that to at least 70° if there are babies, elderly people, or otherwise immunocompromised people in the home.
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 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.