It happens each year when the weather turns cold: The coats, hats, sweaters and blankets come out. The lights come on earlier. And the arguments over how high or low to set the thermostat begin.
But there's a magic number that the U.S. Department of Energy says is optimal for home heating in the winter: 68 degrees when you're awake, and a little lower than that when you're asleep or away from home. And that sweet spot, says Energy.gov, will help save energy and money while keeping your house comfortably warm.
Having a programmable thermostat and setting it according to your household schedule — when you're home, when you're asleep, when you're out for work or school — helps keep temperatures consistent so you're not waking up to a house that's too warm or coming home to one that's too cold.
Energy costs are climbing, spiraling as high as 41% since 2020, outpacing inflation due to a combination of factors including climate change, inflation and increased demand due to artificial intelligence.
Travel trouble ahead: Is a snow storm in the Thanksgiving weather forecast? Bad weather is brewing.
