When preparing your home for winter if you plan to be away, the best thermostat settings are between 55 and 60°F. If your winters are mild and freezing pipes are not as much of a concern, you can go lower to 45°F to potentially save money.
Recommended Temperature When the Home is Vacant
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).
In general, it's recommended to set your thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. This may seem high compared to the freezing point of 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but it'll help keep the interior of the floor and wall cavities – where your plumbing is often located – safely above freezing temperatures.
The ideal thermostat temperature in the winter is 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you're at home. 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.
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.
Keep your house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees.
A temperature lower than 65 degrees might not keep the inside walls from freezing.
The temperature of your sleeping space is important, but so is the temperature under the covers. The best temperature for sleep is between 62-68°F for most adults. Anything above or below those temperatures may affect your sleep.
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.
In interior spaces, if pipes are near cracks or openings that let in cold air, they may develop ice blockages even if they are in a heated space. To keep your pipes from freezing and bursting, make sure they are not exposed to temperatures approaching the alert threshold of 20 degrees.
Below 13° - If your home is this cold, it may increase your blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease. 14-15° - If your home is this cold, you may be diminishing your resistance to respiratory diseases. 18° - This is the recommended night time bedroom temperature.
Minimum Heat Setting for an Empty House
The minimum temperature setting is between 55 and 60 degrees. Setting the indoor temperature below 55 degrees in the winter could cause problems.
It's advisable to keep your home below 80 degrees throughout the summer. A house that's too warm can be dangerous to people, pets, and the soft surfaces in your home. Set the winter temperature to 68 degrees when you're awake and 62 degrees when you're sleeping.
How Low is Too Low to Set My Thermostat? If you're going to be leaving your home or traveling for the winter, it's best to keep your thermostat set no lower than 55 degrees. If you don't, you could risk having your pipes freeze over.
If the thermostat is turned too far down, the pipes in the house could freeze and burst. Most recommendations say to turn the temperature down no lower than 55° F.
The rule of the thumb is that it takes roughly 6-hours for water in your pipe to freeze after left in an unheated area. Meaning if you lose power at your home and the weather is reaching below freezing point, you have approximately 6-hours until the pipes will begin to freeze.
The U.S. government Department of Energy (DOE) states that people should set their thermostats to 68 degrees F. This is the optimal temperature for keeping a home comfortable.
No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes that freeze most frequently are: Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
When deciding what temperature to set your thermostat to, avoid going below 63 degrees. Temperatures below 63 degrees Fahrenheit can cause mold and mildew growth or increase allergens.
You should set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature for your needs. For most people, this is between 18°C and 21°C.
In the winter, set your thermostat to 68 degrees or the lowest comfortable temperature. In warmer months, set it to 78 degrees or higher. It's a no-cost option to reduce energy expenses. At night or when you're going to be away from home for an extended period, adjust the thermostat a few more degrees.
Wearing socks to bed may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, so it could become an important part of your sleep hygiene routine. Sleep hygiene refers to the habits, behaviors, and environmental factors present during our bedtime routine.
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.