About The Author: Travis Baugh is a Digital Brand Marketing Manager for Bryant, where he creates clear, helpful content to guide homeowners through heating, cooling, and indoor air quality decisions. His goal is to empower readers with the knowledge they need to choose the right comfort solutions for their home—confidently and comfortably.
What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat for Maximum Comfort and Efficiency?
By Travis Baugh
If you are wondering, "what temperature should I set my thermostat," the Department of Energy recommends setting it to 68°F (20°C) during the winter and 78°F (26°C) during the summer when you are at home1. Adjusting these base temperatures when you are asleep or away can drastically reduce your energy bills while maintaining optimal indoor comfort.
Making a simple adjustment to your daily thermostat habits is the first step toward creating a more sustainable, eco-friendly environment. In this guide, we will break down the ideal temperature settings for every season, empowering you to invest in comfort that truly pays for itself.
Recommended Thermostat Settings for Summer
During the summer months, you should set your thermostat to 78°F (26°C) when you are home and awake. When you are away from the house, raising the temperature by 7 to 10 degrees can help you achieve significant energy savings without compromising your system's efficiency.
As outdoor temperatures soar, your home's HVAC system works overtime to keep your living spaces cool. Maintaining a consistent 78°F provides a comfortable environment for your family while preventing your air conditioner from constantly short cycling on and off. Constant cycling not only increases energy consumption but also puts unnecessary wear and tear on your equipment.
To enhance your comfort at this temperature, consider utilizing ceiling fans to circulate the chilled air, making the room feel cooler than it actually is. Furthermore, investing in a high-efficiency Bryant HVAC system ensures that even on the hottest days, your system operates efficnetly.
Our advanced air conditioning units are designed to handle extreme heat with ease, providing you with a reliable cooling experience that blends seamlessly into your daily life. By optimizing your summer settings, you are making a forward-thinking choice that protects both your wallet and the planet.
Recommended Thermostat Settings for Winter
For optimal winter heating, you should set your thermostat to 68°F (20°C) while you are awake and at home. Lowering the temperature by 7 to 10 degrees when you are asleep or away from home can save you up to 10% a year on your heating bills.
Winter brings the challenge of keeping your home cozy without causing a massive spike in your energy bills. Setting your thermostat to 68°F strikes a balance between personal comfort and system efficiency. At this temperature, your heating system operates steadily, providing a consistent blanket of warmth throughout your living spaces.
If 68°F feels slightly brisk, you can easily supplement your warmth by wearing heavier clothing or using cozy throw blankets before adjusting the dial. It is also important to remember that modern HVAC technology has evolved significantly. An outdated system might struggle to maintain an even 68°F, resulting in cold spots and drafty rooms. By upgrading to a modern, advanced heating solution, you invest in comfort that delivers consistent temperatures room by room. Bryant heating systems are engineered for durable performance, ensuring that your home remains a safe, comfortable haven even during the harshest winter storms.
How to Set Thermostat for Year-Round Savings
To set your thermostat for year-round savings, you should utilize a programmable or smart thermostat to automatically adjust temperatures based on your daily schedule. Programming your system to reduce heating and cooling efforts when the house is empty is the most effective way to maximize efficiency. Learn more about energy saving thermostats.
Understanding how to set thermostat for year-round savings is a cornerstone of intelligent home management. Manual adjustments are prone to human error—it is easy to forget to lower the heat before rushing out the door for work. A smart thermostat eliminates this problem by learning your family's routine and adjusting the climate automatically.
Here is a simple schedule you can implement for year-round efficiency:
- Morning (Awake): 68°F in Winter / 78°F in Summer
- Daytime (Away): 60°F in Winter / 85°F in Summer
- Evening (Home): 68°F in Winter / 78°F in Summer
- Night (Asleep): 62°F in Winter / 82°F in Summer
Smart home integration takes this a step further. Bryant thermostats allow you to control your climate seamlessly from your smartphone using the Bryant Smart Home App, providing you with real-time energy usage data and performance metrics. This level of control empowers you to make informed decisions about your energy consumption. Coupled with an advanced Bryant HVAC system, these intelligent controls ensure that your home is only using energy when it is truly needed, providing an efficiency that pays for itself over the lifespan of the equipment.
Joseph Braswell, owner of Guin Service Company in Birmingham, AL says that while thermostat settings ultimately come down to personal preference, a programmable thermostat should be considered essential for most homeowners.
“A programmable thermostat allows you to set a schedule once you find the temperatures that keep your home comfortable,” Braswell said. “After that, it’s best to avoid constantly adjusting the thermostat up and down. Keeping more consistent settings can help your system run more efficiently and maintain more even comfort throughout your home.”
What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat When You Want to Save Energy?
When you want to save energy, you should set your thermostat back by 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit from its normal setting for at least 8 hours a day. In the summer, this means setting it to around 85°F when away, and in the winter, lowering it to 60°F.
The secret to maximizing your energy savings lies in minimizing the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures. The smaller the difference, the lower your overall cooling and heating costs will be. When you are away at work or on vacation, there is no need to keep your home at an optimal comfort level. By allowing your home's temperature to drift closer to the outdoor temperature, you significantly reduce the workload on your HVAC system.
Many homeowners worry that it takes more energy to reheat or recool a house after leaving the thermostat set back. This is a common misconception. In reality, a home loses heat much slower when the interior temperature is lower. Therefore, allowing the house to cool down during winter days when you are away ultimately saves more energy than maintaining a constant, warm temperature. Partnering these smart temperature strategies with an eco-friendly HVAC system ensures you are minimizing your carbon footprint while maximizing your financial savings.
Connect With A Bryant Dealer on Thermostat Settings
Consult your local Bryant dealer for guidance on the ideal thermostat settings for your home, as well as professional thermostat installation and thermostat replacement options tailored to your heating and cooling system. Schedule an appointment today.
1https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/programmable-thermostats
2 https://www.energystar.gov/products/heating_cooling/smart_thermostats/smart_thermostat_faq
3 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-the-ideal-sleeping-temperature-for-my-bedroom
Temperature and Thermostat Setting FAQs
The best thermostat setting for sleeping is typically between 60°F and 67°F year-round3. Cooler temperatures help regulate your body's internal thermostat, promoting deeper, more restful sleep while simultaneously reducing your overnight energy consumption.
A properly programmed smart thermostat can save homeowners an average of 8% on their heating and cooling bills2. By seamlessly adjusting the climate based on your schedule, it prevents wasted energy when the home is unoccupied.
No, changing the temperature does not use more energy, provided you are using a programmable thermostat to schedule setbacks for 8 hours or more. Setting the temperature closer to the outside temperature when you are away saves energy by reducing the system's overall workload.
72°F is a common comfort setting in winter. However, it may be slightly higher than needed for energy savings; many households balance comfort and efficiency in the 68–72°F range.
A typical recommendation is around 68°F when you’re home and lower (60–65°F) when you’re sleeping or away to save energy while maintaining comfort.
No. Generally, it’s more efficient to lower the temperature when you’re away or asleep rather than keeping it steady all day, because your system uses less energy maintaining a lower temperature.
Keep your thermostat at least 55°F or higher to help prevent pipes from freezing, especially in colder climates or areas near exterior walls.
70°F is considered a comfortable indoor temperature for most people in winter, though comfort can vary based on humidity, airflow, and personal preference.
