Is 68°F Really the Right Winter Thermostat Setting?
68°F is a useful starting point, not a universal rule. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends it as a winter setting that can reduce energy use, but your ideal temperature depends on your heating equipment, insulation, humidity, and household. A drafty older home may feel chilly at 68°F, while a well-sealed home may stay comfortable at a lower setting.
Why 68°F Became the Winter Reference Point
The 68°F recommendation is built around a compromise: keep indoor rooms reasonably comfortable while limiting the amount of heat your home must produce. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests 68°F during the day for energy savings. Lowering the thermostat for an eight-hour period can save about 1% on heating costs for each degree reduced.
That calculation assumes a fairly typical house and heating setup. Real homes vary widely. Window quality, wall insulation, ceiling height, air leakage, local weather, and the location of the thermostat all affect how 68°F feels. A thermostat in a sunny hallway may read 68°F while a bedroom beside an exterior wall feels much colder.
The practical goal is not to obey one number. It is to find the lowest setting that keeps your household comfortable without forcing the system to run inefficiently or creating unsafe cold conditions.
For broader energy-saving guidance, compare the household recommendations from the U.S. Department of Energy with information from the ENERGY STAR program.
Your HVAC system changes the calculation
A heat pump generally performs best when it maintains a steady indoor temperature. It can be highly efficient, but a large setback can create a problem during recovery. Raising the thermostat several degrees at once may trigger auxiliary heat, usually electric resistance coils. Those coils use far more electricity than the heat pump’s normal operation, so a deep overnight setback can erase the savings you expected.
Many heat pump households do better by choosing a comfortable setting around 69°F or 70°F and leaving it relatively stable. Check your thermostat for an “auxiliary heat” indicator after a temperature change; frequent activation is a sign that the setback may be too aggressive. “Emergency heat” is a separate setting and should not be used as a routine way to warm the house.
Gas and oil furnaces handle temperature changes more readily. A furnace household can often test a setback of 5 to 8 degrees while people are asleep or away, provided the home returns to a comfortable temperature without excessive run time. The right setting still depends on the equipment’s condition and the home’s heat loss.
Insulation and drafts can make the thermostat misleading
Insulation slows heat movement through walls, ceilings, and floors. When it is inadequate, the system must run longer to hold the same thermostat reading, and the higher energy use can cancel out the benefit of choosing a lower setting.
Air leaks create a different problem. Gaps around doors, windows, attic hatches, plumbing penetrations, and recessed lights can produce cold spots and drafts even when the thermostat says 68°F. Moving air also makes a room feel colder than still air at the same measured temperature.
Walk through the home on a windy day and check for moving curtains, cool trim, or noticeable drafts. Weatherstripping and caulk can address small leaks. Larger problems may require insulation work or a professional energy audit. Sealing the home often improves comfort more effectively than repeatedly raising the thermostat.
Do not rely on portable space heaters to compensate for widespread heat loss. They can increase electricity use and introduce a fire risk, especially when left unattended or placed near fabrics.
Humidity affects how 68°F feels
Dry winter air can make a room at 68°F feel colder. Heated air holds moisture differently, and low indoor humidity can increase evaporation from your skin, producing a cooling sensation. That may explain why you reach for a blanket even when the thermostat appears to show a reasonable temperature.
Aim for indoor relative humidity between 30% and 50%. A small hygrometer can show whether the air is actually dry instead of leaving you to guess. A portable or whole-home humidifier may improve comfort, but excess moisture can encourage condensation and mold around cold windows, so monitor the reading rather than turning the humidifier up indefinitely.
Health and age belong in the decision
Temperature targets should account for the people in the home, not just the utility bill. Older adults may feel cold more intensely because of lower metabolic rates and poorer circulation. Infants and young children have less ability to regulate body temperature, while people with conditions such as hypothyroidism or anemia may be unusually sensitive to cold.
If someone is shivering, persistently uncomfortable, or having trouble staying warm, raise the setting and address the cause rather than forcing the household to remain at 68°F. Comfort and safety take priority over a small energy-saving target.
How to Find the Setting That Fits Your Home
Use a gradual test instead of changing the thermostat by guesswork:
- Begin at 70°F. Keep the setting there for a full day and note which rooms feel comfortable, chilly, or unusually warm.
- Lower it by one degree. Try 69°F the next day, then 68°F if everyone remains comfortable. Record the indoor humidity and pay attention to drafts, cold floors, and rooms farthest from the thermostat.
- Match the adjustment to your system. With a heat pump, avoid large changes and watch for auxiliary heat during recovery. With a gas or oil furnace, test a 5- to 8-degree setback during sleep or periods when the home is empty.
- Fix comfort problems before raising the whole house. Seal obvious leaks, check filters, improve insulation where needed, and confirm that vents are not blocked. A single cold bedroom may need an envelope repair, not a warmer thermostat setting for every room.
- Use scheduling carefully. Google Nest and Ecobee smart thermostats can learn household patterns and manage heating schedules. They are particularly useful with heat pumps because they can favor longer, steadier cycles instead of frequent large recoveries.
The best setting is the lowest temperature that keeps your household comfortable and safe without causing inefficient system behavior. For one home that may be 68°F; for another, a steady 69°F or 70°F will make more sense. The biggest savings usually come from reducing heat loss, not arguing over a single degree.
