Ideal Winter Temperatures for Your Thermostat

Everyone has their own favorite room temperature. But setting your heater's thermostat for different temperatures at different times throughout the day can do a lot more than keep your home comfortable. Here are three ideal settings to get the most comfort out of your heater without a large bill.

What temperature should your house be when you're awake and active?

68 degrees Fahrenheit is the generally accepted middle ground for winter heating as it will keep your home close to the stereotypical room temperature of 70 degrees. It isn't cold enough to make you want to stay curled up under a blanket, but it's also not so warm that it's uncomfortable.

What about when you're asleep or out of the house?

Lowering your thermostat during winter can drastically cut your energy spending. It is best to do this when you're asleep, because you can drop the thermostat a few extra degrees without discomfort, and when no one's in the house. If there are large stretches of time when nobody's home, set the thermostat to drop. As long as the internal temperature stays above fifty or fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit, the cold temperature isn't low enough to do damage. Simply program your thermostat on a set schedule.

Should you turn it off completely?

Unless you're going to have a stretch of warm days, you should keep your heating system on. Not only can letting your house's temperature drop damage the pipes, the energy savings you gain through a few hours without heating will be canceled out by the cost of reheating the whole house. As a general rule, maintaining a relatively consistent temperature (especially if it doesn't fluctuate frequently) is cheaper than cooling and heating cycles.

We encourage you to give us a call at Kent Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc. with any questions or service needs you may have.