The Experts Have Spoken: The Best Temperature for Maine, New Hampshire, & Massachusetts Homes During the Winter

Unless you live alone, there is a good chance that one of the most commonly fought battles in your home during the winter months is where to set the thermostat.

Often, it is the kids and teens who crank the heat up, while the parents, who are aware of how much energy costs, turn the heat back down.

Sometimes, these battles even happen in the workplace.  At one point, the main thermostat in our office was enclosed in a locked plastic cage to prevent the DJs from changing the temperature.

We all have our opinion on what the temperature should be set to, but is there a ‘right’ answer?  Is there a temperature that makes heating your home or office the most efficient?

According to the experts at the U.S. Department of Energy, there is!

What Temperature Should Your Heat Be Set to During the Winter?

According to an article on the Direct Energy website, it is recommended that your thermostat be set to 68 degrees (F) when you are at home during the day.  When you are away from home or asleep, the temperature should be set to 66 degrees.

You Can Save Money by Lowering the Temperature Throughout the Winter

The article explains that you can save money by gradually lowering the temperature throughout the winter.

The recommendation is that you start at a comfortable temperature and, over the course of several months, drop the temperature by 1 degree each week.

Because the change happens over the course of several weeks, your family or roommates are unlikely to notice the change.

How much will you save?  The article states that you can save about 1% with this method.  Sure, that does not sound like a lot, but considering the amount we are paying for heating these days, it could really add up.