Photo: Allec Gomes

What temperature should you keep your heat on to save money?

According to ENERGY STAR, setting your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) when you're home is the ideal balance of comfort and energy efficiency.

trane.com - What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat to in the Winter? - Trane®

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Energy Savings 4 min read

What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat to in the Winter to Save Money? Find out the best temperature to heat your home and more ways your thermostat can help save you money this winter.

Published:

December 21, 2018

Constantly battling with your significant other over what temperature to heat your home? Good news, we’ve found an ideal temperature that keeps things cozy and saves energy too.

Set your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter

According to ENERGY STAR, setting your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) when you’re home is the ideal balance of comfort and energy efficiency. So why is 68 degrees the magic number? The energy saving key is lowering the temperature (about 10-12 degrees Fahrenheit or 6-8 degrees Celsius) at night or when you’re away.

Don’t turn that dial!

You can save as much as 10% a year in heating and cooling costs by turning back thermostats 7 - 10 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours a day. Constantly raising or lowering the temperature throughout the day or forgetting to set it to the proper temperature can actually cost you more over time.

Where you place your thermostat matters

Knowing the ideal home temperature and using your thermostat correctly won’t matter if you place it in the wrong part of your home. An interior wall, ideally near the center of the house is the best place for your thermostat. Also, keep in mind which rooms people use most since these are the rooms where you want the temperature to be the most comfortable.

5 areas to avoid when placing your thermostat

Upgrade your thermostat to save

Today’s more energy efficient heating and cooling systems can deliver whole home comfort while using less energy. But to get the most out of them, it’s best to pair them with an updated thermostat. While you can manually set your thermostat daily, programmable or “smart” thermostats can help you achieve energy savings, especially when you’re away from home.

Programmable thermostats

Programmable thermostats allow you to set a variety of temperature preferences during the day for each day of the week. As great as programmable thermostats are — they only work if you use them properly. If you constantly adjust the temperature (or your significant other does) you’ll end up spending more, not less, on your energy bill.

Smart thermostats

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Why not take the human element out of it and upgrade to a connected, smart home thermostat. These next-gen thermostats do more than just keep your home warm and cozy all winter (which they do very well), they learn your patterns and automatically adjust the temperature for max efficiency and energy savings. You can program them remotely, get real-time performance alerts and even hide the digital display with a screen saver of your choice. When connected, you can control lights, locks and several other smart home appliances. Check out the Trane ComfortLink™ II XL1050 or ask your local Trane Dealer to recommend the best thermostat for your home.

Invest in an energy efficient furnace or heat pump

Even when you’re setting your thermostat lower at night and while you’re away, you may not see your electric bill go down if your system isn’t running efficiently. Start small by reaching out to an HVAC expert and have them check out your unit to make sure it’s operating at its best. Small things like leaky air ducts, poor insulation or old filters can affect efficiency. If an HVAC upgrade is the right move for you, here’s what you need to know. A newer Energy Star certified system that has a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER), Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) or Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) rating will be 15% more efficient than older, less energy-conscious models. Newer systems can also improve your comfort, since they typically feature multiple or variable heating stages. This type of heating system will keep your home consistently warm and reduce temperature swings. It also runs longer without the starts and stops that use excess energy — which can help lower your energy bill.

One Last Tip

Want to know more about how to heat your home comfortably and save money doing it? Contact your local Trane Comfort Specialist for a custom home heating and cooling system evaluation.

trane.com - What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat to in the Winter? - Trane®

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