The less your furnace runs, the more money you save. We recommend keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit while you're awake at home, and then setting it back 10 to 12 degrees when you're away or asleep. This strategy can save you as much as 10 percent a year on your energy bill, according to ENERGY STAR®.
If you're going to be gone for several hours, instead of turning the system completely off, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends turning your heat down by seven to 10 degrees. They also suggest doing this at night, using blankets to make up the difference in temperature.
Does turning down the thermostat save money? Yes, homeowners can save money on their energy and heating bills by turning the thermostat down. You can save almost 15 percent of your total heating bill by lowering your heat by seven degrees overnight (or for any other eight hour period).
While some homeowners have considered turning off their heat at night in an attempt to lower their heating bills, it generally is not recommended as a viable option. The fact is, turning your heat off at night creates more potential risk for your home and your family than it does savings on your energy bill.
A gas-fired central-heating system is often the cheaper option in terms of running costs; electrical heating costs considerably more per unit of energy.
In fact, leaving your heat on all day can actually cost you much more than turning it off every now and then. Heat tends to diffuse, so the high heat in your home will diffuse to areas of low heat outside the home during the winter. So even when you have your furnace on, your home is always losing a little bit of heat.
Let's bust a myth; according to the Energy Saving Trust, it's not cheaper to leave your heating on low all day. In fact, turning on your heating only when you need it on actually saves energy, and therefore saves money, 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.
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.
For every degree that you lower the thermostat can help you save up to 1% on your heating costs. So, if you turn down the heating eight degrees for about eight hours a night, you can enjoy a saving of approximately $180 annually on your heating.
“It is more economical to leave the heating and cooling system off in an unoccupied building,” said Darin Nutter, professor and department head of Mechanical Engineering and 21st Century Leadership Chair in Engineering at the University of Arkansas.
Whether you plan to leave for a vacation or for the season, most heating and cooling professionals recommend setting the thermostat to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature will reduce your heating costs and minimize the risk for hazards such as frozen or burst pipes and flooding.
Is it better than leaving it on steadily? ANSWER: Turning your heat on and off is not cost effective, since your system will have to work extra hard for extra long to get the temperature back up.
The amount of insulation you have in your home will of course have some bearing on how much leakage there is, but as a general rule The Energy Saving Trust states that keeping heating running continuously will result in a continuous loss of energy, which it does not recommend.
Some of the reasons behind the rising cost of these energy sources include: Increased energy demand due to hotter summers and colder winters. Higher production costs due to inflation and supply chain disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The simple answer is, leave them open.
You see, when an HVAC system is operating, it functions best as a whole unit, circulating air throughout your entire home. So, when you shut several doors in and around your home, you're actually disrupting the nature of how your HVAC system operates.
Minimum heat setting for an empty house
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.
Everyone is different, and that's definitely true when it comes to ideal room temperature. That being said, the average room temperature in most homes falls somewhere between 68 and 76°F.
It is very necessary to keep your heater on when you are leaving your house for one month or one week to help stop an expensive mishap. The temperature often decreases below freezing in winter. Your house will become extremely colder when the temperature decreases particularly in older houses.
Expert says you should never put your heating on for more than a few hours a day during the winter.
At Night – Close windows as the temperatures drop. Unless it gets considerably colder overnight, your home should retain much of the heat of the day without getting uncomfortably cold. When temperatures are above 60 degrees consistently, it's usually time to turn off your heating system for the season.
19-21° is the recommended daytime temperature range for occupied rooms. 24-27º is too warm and can put babies and young children at risk.
In case you plan to spend a holiday in wintertime, especially when it's nippy outside, better keep your boiler on while you are away. The heating unit keeps the house warm for you and your family. To that, it prevents freezing of the pipework and ensures that you won't have to deal with unnecessary problems.