What Do You Keep Your Heat Set On?

Updated on February 10, 2011
M.D. asks from Rockport, TX
47 answers

So we all know its really cold outside- even here in South Texas! Im wondering what you all keep your heat set at? We live in a rental house and it is old and not insulated that great- (cause its usually not this cold here) I keep the heat around 70- my mom says hers stays on 68 but I think its cold in her house. The older kids complain its cold in here but thats because they are just sitting. So just wondering what is comfortable for others?

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Programmed for lower at night but about 69 in the daytime. I bump it up 1 or 2 degrees if i seems chilly in the house.

1 mom found this helpful

B.K.

answers from Chicago on

I don't know why, but 73 is what feels comfortable to me so that's what it's set at. I HATE feeling cold. I have tried and tried to keep it at 70, but I'm always cold then, and so are my kids. At night when we're sleeping it goes down to 68.

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L.L.

answers from Hartford on

I am a cheapster and were lucky if I raise it up to 66.

3 moms found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Cincinnati on

wow i was reading some of the responses and none of you would survive in my house lol. we only heat the front of the house (the kitchen and living room) during the day and it is set at 60. at night we turn off the heat in those rooms and turn on the bedrooms (once again at 60) we keep the doors shut so the heat stays in there. it saves alot on our heating bill, plus thats what sweaters are for, and it incourages us to be more active to stay warm. oh and it doesnt matter how well yoru home is insulated if your heat is set at 68 your heat will keep running intill your house is 68 degrees its not going to be colder just because yourhouse isnt insulated, that just means it cost more to run because it takes longer to reach that heat

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F.W.

answers from Cumberland on

We live in the mountainous area of Maryland. 64 at night--husband is too warm. 68 during the day--we have gas baseboard heat which is wonderfully warm. When I feel 68 in a central air/heat house it always feels colder than our house.

1 mom found this helpful

A.S.

answers from Spokane on

We keep it at a flat 65. We noticed a marked difference we we turned it down at night. Our bill actually went up! It was explained to us that when turning it back up the system has to work harder to get it back up there before being able to just maintain it so that's when we just set it at the flat rate.

I wouldn't really say we're comfortable. But our budget constrains us to keep it low. If we're cold, we have plenty of sweaters and blankets. Tell your kids to bundle up, especially if you're in an older house. There's no need to break the budget on heating a place like that. I know. I grew up in one!

It certainly won't hurt your kids to have layers on and if anything, you should remind them they should be thankful they even have reliable heat. My kids are certainly thankful we have a fireplace as a back up if we lose power, which has happened often this winter. I would love to keep it at 70 since that's where I'm most comfortable. The few times we had it up there because of sick kids, bald cat, etc. I was in heaven. :)

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M.R.

answers from Columbus on

We keep ours at 65. If anyone is cold, they put on a sweater. We usually have a fire at night for a little extra warmth, but the cold is good for sleeping, and good for our budget!

M.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Boston on

Our house is a little on the chilly side (although the mountains of snow we have around here are probably starting to insulate it - ha ha). We set ours to 68 when we're home, 62 during the day when we're out, and I think 64 at night. So it probably averages 64.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.F.

answers from Chicago on

The thermostat setting is not the only thing to look at. When our thermostat was set at 72, the temperature in our living room was 66, the dining room (where the thermostat is located) was 72 and the upstairs bedrooms were 86! It was unbearable for the kids to sleep up there and it was way too cold in the living room for me to watch tv or hang out. I called the HVAC guy in and he installed an additional vent in the living room and even more importantly vent claps in each vent. Now I can open and close the vents and steer where the warm air goes. We now keep the vents that go to the upstairs almost completely closed and the one to the living room all the way open. The furnace has to work much less, but I haven't received the gas bill yet, but I'm sure it will be lower. But apart from the fact that I may save money, it just feels much better now. By the way, I keep my thermostat at 68-72 during the day and at 64 at night.

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M.G.

answers from Little Rock on

i work for a utility company, it's suggested 70-75, every degree you raise it will raise your heating bill by 5-10% but too low, it'll just keep kicking on and that doesn't help either. remember to KEEP it at 1 temp (including your water heater). If you constantly adjust your temp (even while out of the house while at work) it will raise your bill 10-20% because your appliances are having to reheat what it's already heated. it looks like junk, but try putting blankets or even foil up on your windows and doors, or where there are any cracks, this will help with your heating/cooling costs

1 mom found this helpful

G.T.

answers from Modesto on

66 at night while sleeping and then 72 when I get up in the AM and then turn it to 68 after we are dressed. Cheaper to dress warm than pay the high cost of keeping it warm. Once you start moving around and doing chores you warm up fast. If you are just sitting around and not moving, you'll be warm if you dress warm. Or heck, walk outside where it's all cold and then 68 really feels warm when you come back in!
Best thing to do is use the oven a lot while cooking in winter, keeps the house warm for ya automatically... that's another one of my tricks. Lots of oven casseroles/meatloaf and such in winter.

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M.M.

answers from Dallas on

67 @ night while sleeping
71 in AM while getting ready for work/school
67 during the day while we are gone
71 in the PM when we get home
71 during the day on the weekends (and snow days)

1 mom found this helpful

M.S.

answers from Columbus on

Ahhhhh...I wish I could set it to a balmy 72 degrees every day. I stay home with my daughter, so I set it to 70. Sometimes, no matter what I do- slippers, sweatshirt, and drinking hot tea- I cannot warm up. Then, I'll bump it up to 72 for awhile.
During the summer, if it were up to me, I would only turn the air on if it was over 90 and very humid. I really don't enjoy air conditioning. But, my husband always complains when he comes home and the house is hot (to him). So, I told him that if he wanted the air on when he came home, I would get to set the thermostat to a warmer temp in the winter. I still try to get out of turning the air on! I have an alarm set on my phone to turn the heat down at 5, so that it's not too warm when he comes home. I'm always cold!!! I hate winter!!!!!! PLEASE, spring, come SOOOOOON!!

1 mom found this helpful

N.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I live in Minnesota. I do home childcare. Mine is 66* during the day in the winter and it goes down to 55* at night. We can wear slippers or thick socks...and always have a sweatshirt on when awake. When watching TV or sitting around we often have lap blankets on (then the kitties snuggle with us!)

I would die of heat stroke at 70* all day...LOL!

1 mom found this helpful

K.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

I run cold, so mine is set at 70 too!

1 mom found this helpful

J.P.

answers from Stockton on

We keep our house VERY warm in the winter and VERY cold in the summer. My husband works outside so when he gets home he wants it to be nice and warm or really cool to relax from the day. Personally, it drives me crazy because in the winter time I am walking around the house in shorts and a tank top and in the summer I am wearing sweats and covering up with a blanket......(sigh.....)

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A.D.

answers from Minneapolis on

70 when we're home
65 when we're away
67 when we're sleeping

1 mom found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from San Diego on

This probably isn't fair since I live in San Diego, but 65 in the day 60 at night.

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K.B.

answers from Columbus on

We live in crappy winter Ohio and we have ours set on 68-70, and we leave it there. I would like to cool it down at night but my youngest daughters room isn't well insulated and she would freeze if we lowered the heat. I CANNOT WAIT until spring!

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K.L.

answers from Des Moines on

Our house is insulated really well and has great, new windows...so I keep ours set at 67. It's the perfect temp at night...I get hot when I sleep!

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S.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

I hate being cold! During the day I set it at 72/73. If my husband didn't complain about the bill I would have it higher. But. I turn it down to 70/71 at night when my husband comes home. He says 72 is waaaaay too hot. He wants it at 68, but that's not happening!!!

A.S.

answers from Iowa City on

My husband and I have a battle all winter. I keep it at 68. He turns it up to 70. I turn it down. He turns it up. On and on we go. It is programmed to be lower at night. 65 or 66, I think.

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M.K.

answers from Kansas City on

68-70 during the day depending on how the sun heats the living room through the windows and a steady 68 at night.

M.H.

answers from Philadelphia on

We live up in Philadelphia, and have a gas boiler and radiators. We keep our thermostat on a program of 65 in the morning from 6-10 and in the evening from 6-10, and on 62 the rest of the time.

70 is my ideal temperature, but 65 is my husbands. His program keeps our bill down. And I sparingly use a couple of little electric heaters that cycle on and off, one in the TV room upstairs and one in the nursery, just to bump the temperature up a little more.

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D.B.

answers from Charlotte on

.

J.S.

answers from Allentown on

We have it set at 67 in the day (often it is warmer because of the morning sun) and 65 at night. I try to be really diligent about opening/closing curtains and doors. I keep the curtains and doors open in the sunny rooms and close the doors to the rooms that aren't used much.

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L.N.

answers from New York on

I hate feeling cold. During the day it's set at 68 downstairs and my pellet stove is set at 75 in the living room (where we stay most of the time). At night downstairs is set at 60, and upstairs is set at 75. I don't think our house is insulated well, plus we have oil heat (yuck), so it always feels cold.

E.S.

answers from Dayton on

Oh wow. I am freezing my family! I set ours at 60 at night. Right now it is about 15 degrees outside and I have it set on 65. My bill is pretty high-I think...

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K.B.

answers from San Antonio on

We are just a few hours northt of you! We try to keep ours on about 70, but the other side of the house where my our son's room is is always about 5 degrees colder in the winter and 5 degrees warmer in the summer than the rest of the house. On really cold nights like we have had here the past two weeks we have been setting it at about 73 and I just don't sleep with the heavy blanket, we do this so that our son's room stays a bit warmer. I also try to keep a fire in the fire place when it's cold out all day long and that helps too. Plus it looks and smells wonderful.

J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

66...some days 68. It's only at that temp for the sake of my baby and SO. If I had it my way it wouldn't be on at all (which when I was single and childess I never turned on my heat). If my SO had it his way he would have it on 75-80....and when my dad was alive....his was set at 82. It was like an oven in his house.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

68 during the day and 65/66 at night but Ive lived in new England my entire life it doesn't bother me it feels great inside after you play outside with the kids in th cold :)

Jane M it's terrible I don't know where we are going to put all this snow!!!

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R.D.

answers from Wichita on

Oh wow, after reading all the other responses apparently I keep mine WAY too high! It is on 76 as we speak (dd and I are home for snow day #2). During the day we keep it low (as we are all gone) but when we are home, it is between 70-76. I am always really cold. It drives hubby crazy!

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I.L.

answers from Alexandria on

70! Wow that's toasty!
Our house is well insulated and fairly new.
We have ours set to come on at 60, which it does a few times at night. Most of the day the house is 64-68 so it doesn't come on. When it gets in the upper 60's it seems too warm. If it is that warm in our room at night we open the windows for a few minutes to cool things down!

S.H.

answers from Spokane on

68 when we are home.
62/63 at night and when we are gone.

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D.S.

answers from Houston on

70 degrees but i am from oklahoma and when i lived in a trailer it was set at 74. put blankets over your windows till the snap is gone and leave it at 70 especially if its not just you that thinks its cold in the house. their room may need more insulation than your room ex its on the north side of the house with a window in the north. then i would do plastic and a blanket till the snap is over just staple the plastic 3 layers thick on the window and nail up the blanket it will make a whole lot of diffrence

P.M.

answers from Tampa on

I set it at 66... because heat costs more than A/C and it's easier to dress a bit more when it's cold. When we need to shower, I raise it to 72, but immediately turn it back down once we are dressed.

B.W.

answers from Minneapolis on

I'm in Minnesota, we keep ours about 65 in the Winter. thats plenty warm for me, i'm always hot, so are my kids. my husband is the cold one in our family, he tries to boot it up to 70 but always loses when the kids complain of how hot they are. LOL

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R.J.

answers from Seattle on

I WOULD keep the heat set at 80 (used to before buying this house when we had gas). When we had gas our bill (same sized house) was about $60 a month. We currently have oil (icky) because keeping it at 80 give us a $700 a month bill. Keeping it at 68 *most* of the time keeps our bill at apx $200 a month. (Through trial and error I've found it's a apx $200 up for every 5 degrees... 73 jumped our bill to apx $400, 78 $600... and blissful 80 was $700).

Schtupid Oil Furnace.

Converting to gas would cost us apx 10k. :( :( :( Same token, building a fireplace is also several thousand dollars +$1500 in permitting fees. Neither is in our budget.

I have joint problems in the cold/cool damp (33-75)... so I wear several layers inside my own home... which I'm a little snarky about. Underarmor, knee high smartwool socks, Pants & 1st layer long sleeve OR shirt, Wild rose 2nd layer (OR's women's line), reflective heat jacket, hoody, and much to my own irritation/hubby's embarassment and inch thick super warm bathrobe that makes me look like an ogre. Going outside I put on yet another layer. (windbreaking treated gortex). I keep down blankets piled on one side of the couch/ chair so that when I'm sitting down I can cover up. Oh... and sheerling boots in the house at all times I don't have my wool socks on / outside shoes (to my own mortification, I was taught to never wear shoes inside a home unless it's a party... but it's sooooooo hard for me to stay warm enough not to be in pain).

Ironically, below freezing (31 to -10 or so, haven't been below -10, so I don't know about serious cold) I'm *fantastic* and wear a lot fewer layers... and I'm really good in the heat (80-120). I REALLY love extreme heat (over 105ish) where your sweat evaporates before it hits your skin so you're never sticky/sweaty feeling. But I sort of got "stuck" in this wonderful city with awful weather (40-60 apx 10 months a year) that is just the *worst* possible weather for my joints.

T.C.

answers from Austin on

I hate it when the hot, dry air is blasting on me at night. So we set the heat at 63 or lower. The heat rises so it's warmer upstairs, and we use electric mattress pads. During the day, I set it at 67.

~.~.

answers from Tulsa on

Morning is set on 69, day (when out of the house) on 50, evening is 68, and night is 65. A programmable thermostat is the best thing for saving money. I've tested leaving it on one temperature and having it programmed to go lower when not home and my bill is a lot lower (by about 25%) when I adjust it colder when not home. It's about 11 hours a day I am out of the house. Why would I want to pay to keep it warm when I'm not there to enjoy it?

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

We too live in a normally hot area (coastal Georgia) and we had a cold winter. We have tile floors (keeps it feeling cooler during the hot summer months) so it feels really cold if your feet are exposed (not in thick socks or have on shoes/slippers or under a blanket, lol). We kept ours at around 68 during the day, and down to 63 overnight. I like it cold in the house to sleep. I think we all sleep better that way.

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M.B.

answers from Washington DC on

I keep mine on 70 during the day and 65 at night. Good question!

My great uncle lives in TN. He likes to brag that he keeps his thermostat on 58 in the winter and summer. If a guest complains, he makes it 59. LOL.

L.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I think how it *feels* in a home is relative to so many factors, i.e. carpeting vs. hardwood floors, good insulation, old windows/doors that leak cold air, the type of heating in the home, etc. It also depends on the placement of the thermostat. Some areas in a home stay warmer, while others may feel colder, and if the thermostat is located in a warmer area, it won't trigger the heat to turn on as often, leaving the colder areas to feel cold. That said, in some homes, 66 is warm feeling, whereas in others, 66 feels cold.

In my home, in the winter, I keep the thermostat on 70. At night, I turn it down to 68. When we leave for the day, I turn it down to 64. My house is small, so when we get home, it heats up quickly.

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L.L.

answers from Topeka on

Typically 67 but with the bitter cold breeze & snow that has come it is at69- 70 during the days nights I set it at 67.

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J.M.

answers from Kansas City on

Ours is on 73 as we speak... we turn it down when noone is here but right now we are on day 2 of snowdays.

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K.E.

answers from Denver on

We are at 70 too, I get too cold otherwise and can't warm up. At night we go to 68. ( I have an electric blanket) If you have curtains or even just blinds keep them closed when its cold outside it really helps keep the house warmer. If its really bad tack up sheets to keep the heat in ( hopefully you dont have single pane windows like my mom had) Stay warm :-)

T.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

For the kids rooms it's about 71-72 at night. For hubby and I 69. During the day the thermostat is lower.

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