How to set your thermostat in the winter: What to know if you're new to the cold

With a polar vortex bringing snow to the South for the first time in a longtime, there's a good chance many are clashing over what temperature to keep their homes.

The debate over the ideal thermostat setting has been battled in homes for as long as the HVAC system has existed.

Depending on what kind of HVAC system you have and how well you handle the cold, you could save some money by understanding the best method for programming your thermostat.

More: As South digs out from brutal storm, Florida cities still more frigid than Alaska

Before you let the winter chill instigate thermostat wars in your house, consider these tips from experts about properly heating your home this season.

What should you set your thermostat at this winter?

Turns out there's a magic number for your thermostat setting in the winter, experts say.

Sixty eight degrees is ideal. But if you're looking for a ballpark, 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, previously told USA TODAY.

“A home that’s at 70 degrees is quite comfortable,” Narayanamurthy said.

Turn down the heat when you're gone

But leaving your thermostat to a specific temperature and not changing it won't be good for your heating bills.

While 70 degrees is an ideal number, at night lower temperatures may be more comfortable when you're sleeping 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 bills. And contrary to one prevailing misconception, your heating system doesn't work harder to warm your house back up after you lower the heat.

Narayanamurthy said he usually sets his at 64 degrees if he leaves his home for an extended period of time, though that depends on your preference.

“You don’t want your heater turning on all the time when no one’s at home,” he said.

Don't set the temperature too low

You may be tempted to set your thermostat at bracing levels and survive the winter by bundling up in layers or piling on blankets if you're trying to save a penny.

Though that may seem unsafe, you'd have to set your home at a pretty low temperature for it to become a health risk, Narayanamurthy says, going below 60 degrees is not a good idea.

“You have to keep it really low to really get into a health concern," he said. "What you want to do is keep it at a reasonable temperature that’s not chilly.”

The World Health Organization recommends keeping indoor temperatures between 64 and 75 degrees for healthy people. But for those who are very young, elderly or who have health problems, the minimum temperature shouldn't dip below 68, the organization says.

Heating and cooling: Check out USA TODAY Homefront for more HVAC tips for your home

You can use space heaters, with caution

Homeowners may be tempted to rely on fireplaces, space heaters, electric blankets and wood-burning stoves to keep warm in the winter. And for good reason.

According to Direct Energy, these types of secondary heating sources can help slash costs, because they offer heating to a more targeted area of your home at a fraction of the cost of cranking up the thermostat.

But many of these options come with their own safety risks and similarly require routine maintenance, care and even replacement.

Once a fire hazard, modern electric space heaters are much safer than they used to be. They have built-in safety features that turn the heaters off if they tip over, overheat or have been left turned on for too long.

How to save on your heating bill

Experts offer a variety of other tips that, altogether, could cut down on your bills and ensure your heating unit is working at maximum efficiency.

• Have your heating unit inspected annually. A heating system that's running efficiently saves money. That means the cost for a professional to come to your home and inspect your unit (anywhere from $150 to $500, Consumer Reports estimates) can pay off in the long run.

• Consider investing in a "smart" thermostat. Because many can connect to smartphones via mobile apps, smart thermostats allow homeowners to program their thermostats while they're away or even set a schedule. For that reason, the average Energy Star-certified smart thermostat can save about 8% of a homeowner's annual heating and cooling bills, according to Consumer Reports.

• Check for tax incentives and rebates. Available rebates and tax credits through the Department of Energy may help pay for energy-efficient products and replace heating systems that are 15 years old or older. Funding is available for all kinds of other upgrades as well, such as doors, windows and insulation. More information is available at energysaver.gov.

Editor's note: A version of this story was last published in November 2024.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What temperature should you set your thermostat to in the winter?