It’s an age-old question: what temperature should you set your thermostat to?
What you may not know, however, is the Department of Energy’s official answer to the question.
With the frigid New England winters of Rhode Island, keeping the home at the right temperature is important, both for the people and those living there and for the care of the home. Frozen pipes – and the bill that comes with them – are feared by every New Englander. But it must also be weighed against the cost of heating your home.
Hitting the medium, here’s the temperature officials recommend setting your thermostat.
What should you set your thermostat to in the winter?
The Department of Energy’s recommendation is to set your thermometer to 68 degrees in the winter. However, Ram Narayanamurthy, deputy director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office, told USA TODAY that somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 degrees is a safe bet.
According to the Department of Energy, 68-70 is a good temperature for your thermostat during the winter months.
More: #NoHeatNovember: How an RI man manages not to turn on the heat until December
This way you prevent your house from overheating in winter
No matter how cold it gets, it’s still important to balance heat and cold while heating your home, for the sake of your health and your energy bills.
The Department of Energy suggests lowering your thermostat temperature by 7 to 10 degrees while you’re away from home. Since heating systems generally don’t work harder to warm your home again after you lower the temperature, it doesn’t hurt to turn the heat down even a fair bit.
However, make sure you don’t set the thermostat too low. Temperatures below 64 degrees can pose potential health risks to healthy people, according to World Health Organization recommendations. If you have very young or older people in your home, the minimum temperature should be higher, at 68 degrees.
How to save on your energy bill this winter
Keeping your home warm in the winter is important, but keeping bills low is also a priority.
Things like space heaters, fireplaces, electric blankets and wood stoves are all ways people can save on home heating costs. These items require less energy than a heating system, but while they are safer than in the past, they may require routine maintenance or replacement.
Have your heating system inspected annually to ensure that it is working properly. If not, it could end up costing you more money in maintenance costs or overtime to produce heat costs.
Consider investing in a smart thermostat because you can control your home’s temperature throughout the day to save money. Many smart thermostats have scheduling options to set the temperature for certain times of the day.
Thick curtains, energy efficiency audits How you can save on heating costs this winter
How to prevent pipes from freezing
Frozen pipes are a nightmare when temperatures drop, but they can be prevented. Frozen pipes can occur at any temperature below freezing, depending largely on how insulated the pipes are. So always be careful.
Here are some tips from Providence Water on the best way to avoid this.
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Run a stream of water: Stagnant water in the pipes, which expands when it freezes, causing the pipes to burst, is the enemy. The best way to prevent this is to let a trickle of water run during periods of frost. The cost of running the water is much less than what it costs to hire someone to repair the pipes.
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Open the cupboard under your sink: To keep the pipes under the sink and in the walls warm, it helps to open the cabinets to allow more heat in from the rest of the house than if the doors were closed.
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Know how to turn off your water: In the event that a pipe freezes or breaks, the first step should be to turn off the water. Then you can try to thaw it with a hair dryer or space heater. When turning the water back on, go slowly and be prepared to call a plumber.
More: Are you ready for winter weather in Rhode Island? Here’s our checklist before snow arrives.
Average winter temperature in Rhode Island
How cold is it outside in Rhode Island in the winter? Here’s a look at average temperatures from 2023-2019, based on data.
The average minimum temperatures for that period were:
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared in The Providence Journal: What to set your heat to during the Rhode Island winter
