What’s the ideal thermostat setting for winter? Plus other pro tips to save you money
While the temperature may be dropping, your utility bills aren’t. But there is good news.
It typically costs more to heat your home or apartment in the winter. However, households using natural gas or are in the West could spend less compared to last year.
Here’s how you can save.
Tips for saving
To save on your heating bills, the Department of Energy recommends decreasing how much energy is needed to heat your home. You can do that by ensuring your home is properly insulated, reduce air leakage by air sealing, and replacing or improving your heating system.
When your windows are not insulated for cold weather, they can lose heat from inside your home. You can caulk small gaps, apply weatherstripping to the parts that move, or use window attachments to improve energy performance.
You should also be sure to check and replace the central heating filters regularly (as in replace it every three months), as dirty filters can trap lint, pollen and dust that make the system work harder and drive up costs.
Your thermostat temperature can also make a difference. Setting it to around 68 degrees to 70 degrees while you’re awake and home and lowering it while asleep or away from home can help save, according to the department.
“During winter, the lower the interior temperature, the slower the heat loss,” the department wrote in a post. “So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature.”
One last tip: Use your ceiling fan. You might use this in the summer to stay cool, but reversing the motor (meaning it rotates clockwise at a low speed) can help stay warm. The reversal creates an updraft to force warm air near the ceiling down.
Need help?
If you’re trying to weatherize your home, you can get help to do that.
In 2023, households can get a tax credit to cover up to 30% of the costs for efficiency improvements such as up to $1,200 in credit for adding insulation or installing efficient windows and doors, according to the White House.
State or local weatherization offices offer assistance for low-income families. You can find yours through the state locator. California’s is offered through the state’s department of Community Services and Development and includes three programs: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, and Low-Income Weatherization Program.
The possible energy efficiency improvements include: sealing holes and cracks, ensuring proper insulation, replacing or repairing windows, checking the systems run smoothly, and repairing or replacing water heaters.
Are prices going up?
A forecast from the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects natural gas prices — the most common source of heat for households in the U.S. — will be about 21% lower than last winter.
Compared to last winter, households heating with propane and electricity will likely spend about the same, which means “prices for home heating this coming winter will remain at near record levels for home heating due to an expected colder winter except for the states in the western part of the nation,” according to a news release from the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association.
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This story was originally published November 23, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "What’s the ideal thermostat setting for winter? Plus other pro tips to save you money."
