Does Turning Off the Heat at Night Save Money? (2024)

FAQs

Does Turning Off the Heat at Night Save Money? ›

You can save an average of 1% on energy costs for every degree reduced on your thermostat. Setting the thermometer eight degrees lower before you turn in at night may save you as much as $180 per year on your utility bill.

Now, let's say you typically keep your home thermostat set at 68°F. If you reduce that temperature to 60°F for eight hours each night, you can save $200 each year or more, depending on the type of fuel you use. If you do the same while you are gone during the day, you can double your savings.

Not only is it okay to leave the heater on all night, it can save you money. Here's the secret: Set the temperature of your home at least eight degrees lower for the eight hours or so that you sleep at night. Every degree you lower the thermostat can net you an estimated 1% off your heating bill.

The idea is, if you turn down the heat at night, there is less heat to lose, so your furnace does not have to work as hard. Naturally, it requires some energy to bring your home up to temperature in the morning, but less than it would to heat it all night long.

You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. The percentage of savings from setback is greater for buildings in milder climates than for those in more severe climates.

Unless your house is very well insulated, keeping your heating on low all day is usually unnecessary and will cause your heating bills to soar. Instead, set your heating to come on in the morning before you get up and turn it off half an hour before you leave for work.

The ideal home temperature for sleeping is generally between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit -- and you might even sleep better because of it.

Thermostat settings play a pivotal role in managing your heating system's efficiency. It's a common misconception that leaving your heating on at a constant temperature is more energy-efficient than turning it on and off. Does turning the heat on and off raise the bill each month? The answer is no.

The Energy Saving Trust states the thermostat in your home should be set to the lowest comfortable temperature (usually between 18C and 21C), while an official report also outlines 18C as the recommended minimum. The vulnerable may wish to heat it slightly higher, and healthy people may wish to heat it slightly less.

Keeping your home at a constant temperature generally means that your HVAC system will run constantly to meet it. This means that your furnace or air conditioner may run when you're asleep, at work, or out of the house. This wastes more energy than the minimal amount that you might save by having it constantly run.

What is the cheapest temperature to keep your house in winter? ›

A temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit is often considered the best temperature to set thermostat in winter to save money. But why is 68 degrees the best winter thermostat setting? In winter, heat loss through walls, windows, and doors is a significant contributor to energy wastage.

We recommend turning off your heating system whenever the temperature consistently reaches 50° F outdoors. This doesn't mean you must shut off your heating system entirely. Instead, it simply means that you should be able to at least shut it off throughout the daytime hours to help save money on your energy bills.

Turning off your furnace while you're away during the winter can result in frozen furnace components and busted pipes that cause water damage.

It's More Advisable to Turn the Heat Down, Not Off

If you really want to save money and avoid the problems associated with turning off the heat at night, what you should do instead is just turn it down.

The US Department of Energy states that you could save as much as 10% annually on heating costs by turning down the thermostat 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheitfor 8 hours per day. The best part of turning down your thermostat is that you can do it while you're not home during the day so you don't even notice the difference.

The heat pump will work to maintain the ideal temperature by cycling on-and-off as needed. In contrast to other systems, such as electric baseboard heating, you should resist the temptation to turn your heat pump down at night, or when you leave the home.

As long as the weather outside isn't excessively hot or humid, keeping your AC switched off while you sleep is a great way to reduce your energy costs. In fact, even in the nighttime temperatures are still in the 80s, this is still a good option as long as it isn't too humid outside.

According to the experts at the Energy Savings Trust, the idea that you can save money by keeping your central heating permanently on low is a myth. This is mainly because of problems with home insulation.