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Thermostat Settings for Cooler Weather: A Simple Setback That Can Save Energy

For cooler weather, DOE’s energy-saving approach is a 7–10°F thermostat setback for about eight hours while you sleep or are away—not a universal occupied temperature.
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When fall weather arrives, try lowering your thermostat by 7–10°F for about eight hours while you sleep or are away—if the setting is comfortable and your heating system supports it. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says this schedule may save as much as 10% per year on heating and cooling. It is a setback strategy, not one magic temperature for every home.

What should you set the thermostat to when it gets colder?

Choose a comfortable temperature for the hours you are home and awake. DOE says people should set their thermostats to whatever temperature they choose; an energy-saving recommendation is not a universal comfort standard. Its 2019 statement put it plainly: “It is the position of DOE that Americans should set their thermostats to whatever temperature they choose” (DOE, August 21, 2019).

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If you want to reduce heating and cooling use, DOE’s 2022 Energy Saver guide recommends lowering the setting by 7–10°F for eight hours a day during fall and winter. The adjustment is relative to your normal setting: it does not prescribe one occupied temperature for everyone.

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Should you turn the thermostat down at night or when you are away?

Yes, a scheduled setback during sleeping or unoccupied hours is the practical use case for this guidance. The DOE estimate is as much as 10% per year on heating and cooling for the 7–10°F, eight-hours-a-day practice. That is a potential saving, not a guaranteed reduction in an individual household’s bills; results depend on the home and schedule.

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Check your heating system before scheduling a setback

If you have a heat pump

Do not apply the general setback recommendation unless you have a smart or programmable thermostat designed for heat pumps. DOE warns: “If you have a heat pump, don’t do this without a smart or programmable thermostat designed for use with heat pumps.” Suitable controls can raise the temperature gradually, helping avoid activation of electric resistance heating elements, which may reduce the benefit of the setback. See DOE’s heat-pump purchasing guidance for the control rationale.

If you have another type of heating system

The DOE setback guidance applies as a general energy-saving approach, but comfort and equipment behavior still matter. Use a comfortable occupied setting and adjust it only as much as suits your household and system.

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How to put the schedule into practice

  1. Choose the setback period: Pick an approximately eight-hour window when everyone is asleep or the home is unoccupied.
  2. Set the lower temperature: Reduce your usual setting by 7–10°F for that window, provided it remains comfortable and is appropriate for your system.
  3. Choose manual or automatic control: You can change a conventional thermostat yourself. A programmable or smart thermostat can automate the schedule; DOE describes scheduling and remote control as functions of these products. Buying one is optional, and heat-pump households should verify that the control is designed for their equipment.

DOE also discusses programmable scheduling and thermostat setbacks in its Home Upgrades guidance. If the setback is uncomfortable or unsuitable for your equipment, use a different schedule or skip it.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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