# What do you keep your winter thermostat set to? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084 "2013-01-04T17:40:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/21 "2013-01-04T21:06:46Z")
Unless it gets below freezing for a long time and stays there, I don’t turn the heat on in the winter. (I live in the Houston area.) We have a small space heater for night time or particularly cold days. Mostly I just wear sweats and sweaters at home. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/22 "2013-01-04T21:12:58Z")
I have two programmable thermostats and each has their own schedule based on how many people are home and where they are likely to be at any given time. 62-74 ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/23 "2013-01-04T21:19:01Z")
Usually 66-68 during the day, turn it down to 65 when I leave for work, and when I get home at night, 63 for bedtime. I sleep with 6 dogs and 2 cats- who needs a furnace? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/24 "2013-01-04T21:19:01Z")
1. It’s funny to see people telling us to save money by turning your thermostat down to 68. I wear sweaters at home. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/25 "2013-01-04T21:27:43Z")
At least 80F. Otherwise, the patrolling reptiles get sluggish. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/26 "2013-01-04T21:27:46Z")
62-64 during the day (never higher, but sometimes we don’t turn it up at all) 58 overnight or when we’re not home ---
**Author:** ![QuarkChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c5a1d2/32.png) [@QuarkChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuarkChild)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/27 "2013-01-04T21:31:45Z")
55, unless I feel really cold, in which case I’ve been known to crank it up to 60 for a few minutes. I wear turtlenecks and a fleece sweatshirt in the house. The cat just has to suck it up 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/28 "2013-01-04T21:31:51Z")
1. Exactly 70, if you bump it up to 72, it gets outrageously hot, down to 68 and it gets really really chilly. I guess that’s a function of the thermostat being about 80 years old, and my boiler taking 30+ minutes to get up a head of steam, and the radiators staying hot 30+ minutes after the boiler turns off. Stay away from my thermostat, and my lawn while you’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/29 "2013-01-04T21:38:54Z")
1. I get cold easily and I hate being cold. It’s a 1BR apartment and my utility bills are perfectly affordable, so I put it where I’m most comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/30 "2013-01-04T22:00:38Z")
Ours hovers around 60F. Old, drafty house, poorly insulated. It cost almost $1000 to fill the oil tank, and I’ll be damned if I have to fill it again before April. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/31 "2013-01-04T22:09:00Z")
Why does the poll jump from 72 to 76 degrees? I keep mine on 74. Except on really cold, damp days and then it goes up to 75 until I warm up. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/32 "2013-01-04T22:11:58Z")
Our programmable thermostat gives us 62 at night and while we’re at work, 65 when we wake up, and 67 for the evening till 9. Sometimes it doesn’t even come on because we have a pellet stove that warms rather well. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/33 "2013-01-04T23:48:30Z")
75 if I have my way, though my boyfriend will try to turn it to 65 when he can. I get cold easily and our utilities are included in our rent. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/34 "2013-01-04T23:54:40Z")
Normally I set it to 68. But I have forced air heating in my apartment, and when it is very cold outside the floor gets cold, and I turn it up to 72 to compensate for the fact that my feet get cold. I don’t wear shoes indoors. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/35 "2013-01-05T00:15:38Z")
60 overnight (that’s why flannel sheets were invented), 64 during the day when I’m home. If I feel shivery I may crank it up to 67. My furnace is 66 years old and while a great workhorse, it’s kind of expensive. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/36 "2013-01-05T01:07:48Z")
Ours is set to 71 most of the day, and 66 at night, but I’m pretty sure it registers about a degree higher than it should. It also lies to us. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/37 "2013-01-05T01:09:23Z")
68 when I’m home and awake. 55 during the day. 63 at night while I sleep. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/38 "2013-01-05T01:51:07Z")
71 degrees all the time. We have a ground source heat pump, so it’s not expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/39 "2013-01-05T02:31:17Z")
Well, it’s technically “winter” here since I’m in the Northern Hemisphere, but we’re still getting temps in the 90s Fahrenhet, so I chose “Banana.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084/40 "2013-01-05T02:44:07Z")
65 on nights when the outside temp is 35 or below. Off if the outside temp is over 50 during the day. Otherwise, between 68 to 72. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-keep-your-winter-thermostat-set-to/646084.md?page=3)