A good guideline is to increase the thermostat 5 to 10 degrees warmer than you typically do over the course of the day without reaching above 85 degrees. This is the perfect compromise between saving energy and protecting everything inside your home.
Without air conditioning, the temperature may easily surpass 90 degrees inside—not good news if you're stressed about fragile belongings. A good rule of thumb is to increase the thermostat 5 to 10 degrees higher than you normally do over the course of the day without going over 85 degrees.
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.
What you can do to save money on heat while traveling is turn your thermostat down. If you set it to 55 degrees F for the duration of your stay, the home won't get cold enough to allow pipes to freeze. Most appliances and building materials do perfectly well at 55 degrees, too.
But, generally speaking, if you want to get the best cost and comfort, set the temperature on your AC unit to 77 or 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and just leave it running. Bonus points if your unit has an “auto” setting, and if you've made sure the place is weather-tight and insulated.
WHAT SHOULD I SET MY AC TO AT NIGHT? According to the Cleveland Clinic, the recommended thermostat setting for nighttime is between 60°F and 67°F. 3 Setting your AC within this range can help maintain a comfortable sleeping environment.
For many of us, 70 degrees is the ideal indoor temperature, but when it is close to 100 degrees outside, your AC unit will be working quite hard to meet these expectations. Consider setting your thermostat at 75 degrees to 80 degrees in your home if the outside temperature is approaching triple digits.
Plus, it can lead to issues like dampness and mould, which can cause health issues and damage your home. Instead, keep your heating on a steady setting at around 18°C to 20°C. To help facilitate this, it might also be best to select an overnight thermostat temperature everyone is happy with, too.
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.
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.
Simply set it between 80 to 85 degrees. While your A/C works, make sure also all windows, doors, and blinds are adequately closed to keep the cool in.
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).
If your home is vacant, it's essential to keep it at at least 55°F/13°C in the winter and a maximum of 90°F/32°C in the summer. This can keep your electricity bill low without the risk of frozen pipes or moisture that leads to mould.
To keep the house safe and avoid frozen pipes in the winter, the thermostat should be at 55 degrees while during the summer a temperature of 85 degrees protects it from high heat and humidity. If you're out of town during winter or summer, have someone adjust your thermostat for you to ensure your house is protected.
We recommend setting your thermostat to around 78 degrees when you are at work or away on vacation, 74 degrees when you are at home, and 70 when you are sleeping. We recommend leaving your air conditioner on, even if you will be away for days.
Bear in mind, you don't have to keep your heating at a high-temperature setting while you are gone. Turn your thermostat down between 15°C and 18°C degrees to maintain the warmth of your home at a cost-efficient level.
The best approach is to set your vacation thermostat about 10 degrees higher (summer) or lower (winter) than you normally set it when away from home. This lowers the amount of time your HVAC system is running while you are away. In general, don't set it above 85° in the summer or below 50° in the winter.
Don't set your thermostat too low
“You have to keep it really low to really get into a health concern," he said. "What you want to do is keep it at a reasonable temperature that's not chilly.” The World Health Organization recommends keeping indoor temperatures between 64 and 75 degrees for healthy people.
What's the recommended thermostat setting for saving money? The higher you set your thermostat in the summer and the lower you set it in the winter, the more money you'll save. That said, setting your air conditioner to 78° F and your heater to 68° F is generally a good compromise.
Depending on how long you're gone, you can damage internal structures of the house due to excessive humidity. The best rule of thumb is to raise the temperature about 5 degrees from what you primarily keep it at. So if you set it at 74 degrees when you're home, then set it to 79 or 80 when you go out of town.
If you are leaving your home for a vacation or overnight travel, then you might lower your thermostat anywhere from 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. That will achieve energy savings while you're gone, and you won't waste too much money heating your home when no one is there.
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.
For the most efficient performance, set the thermostat 20 degrees lower than the temperature outside. On a 100℉ day, set it to 78℉ to 80℉ to manage utility costs. If there's a lack of airflow, the filter may need to be changed or AC vents cleaned. But it may also mean your air conditioner needs professional repair.
Just because the outdoor temperature is above 100, the Ideal temperature to set your AC unit to doesn't change — it's 78 degrees. Higher temperatures in the home are to be expected when the weather is hotter than usual, but your thermostat can still be set the same as if it were a lower temperature outside.
Keeping your home warm in the winter is essential for one's comfort and also to keep pipes from freezing. However, you should be mindful of energy consumption as well. According to the Department of Energy, the optimal temperature setting for homes during freezing weather is 68 °F.