What you should set your thermostat at in the winter
Mar 9, 2025
Turns out there’s a magic number for your thermostat setting in the winter, experts say.
That setting? 68 degrees, according to the Energy Department.
If that’s too specific, anywhere around 70 degrees is a good target when it gets cold, Ram Narayanamurthy, deputy director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office, told USA TODAY.
Turn the heat down when you’re away
But setting your thermostat to a specific temperature and never changing it won’t be good for your heating bills.
Though about 70 degrees is ideal, it’s unwise to set your thermostat and never change it. Lower temperatures may be more comfortable when you’re sleeping at night and can help keep your bill down when you’re away from home, Narayanamurthy said.
The Energy Department says that even turning thermostats back 7 to 10 degrees from their normal settings for eight hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on homeowners’ heating and cooling costs. And contrary to one prevailing misconception, your heating system doesn’t work any harder to warm your house back up after you lower the heat for a set time.
Narayanamurthy said he usually sets his at 64 degrees if he leaves his home for an extended period of time, though everyone’s comfort levels may be different.
“You don’t want your heater turning on all the time when no one’s at home,” he said.
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What should you set your thermostat to in the winter? Experts weigh in
