Living in the upper Midwest, we have the privilege of watching the seasons change each year. This means we get to see spring in full bloom, bright green summers, golden autumns, and of course white, snowy winters. It all sounds beautiful when you think about it that way, but in the upper Midwest also know how harsh and cold winter can be!

That’s why taking good care of your HVAC systems and keeping your home adequately heated all winter is so important. Read on to learn about ideal heating temperatures for the winter and how they can benefit you and your HVAC system.

Find The Right Temperature

While you may be tempted, on a cold winter night, to crank your heater all the way up, it is actually more prudent to keep your home between fifty-eight and sixty-two degrees at night.

This temperature is high enough to keep your pipes from freezing but low enough that you won’t be throwing thermal energy (and money) out the window!

You may be thinking that is far too chilly for you to sleep comfortably, but it is scientifically proving that colder temperatures help you sleep longer and more deeply. If you really feel you can’t sleep at that temperature consider investing in flannel sheets to bundle up in.

During the day, or when you are using the space in your home more, you can raise the temperature by ten degrees, keeping your home at a comfortable sixty-eight to seventy-two degrees. Remember that the higher the heat indoors, the faster the thermal energy transfers to the cold outside. Also, the higher the temperature, the harder your HVAC unit has o work, wearing it out faster.

Pay Attention to Your Thermostat

Do you know what kind of thermostat you have in your home? Did you even know there were different kinds of thermostats? Knowing your thermostat can help you take full advantage of all its features.

More basic thermostats are mechanically operated and only turn the HVAC unit on and off when they are switched explicitly to the desired temperature. Programmable thermostats offer the option to program specific temperatures for certain days of the week.

Some have the capacity to set a different temperature for each day of the week, while others only allow you to set two different temperatures (one for weekdays and one for weekends). These are convenient if you are someone who rarely stays home on weekends, or for office buildings. Why heat our office during the weekend, when no one is working?

Keep an Eye on Your Electric Bill

If you have watched your electric bill skyrocket each winter, it is likely because you are not making the best use of your heating system.

Keeping your home at the ideal temperatures, as we discussed earlier, will help you keep your energy bill manageable during colder months.

Share some more of your top heating tips for the winter in the comments below! Call Korte Does It All for all your home heating needs this winter! To speak with an HVAC professional in New Haven, call (260) 493-2596.