5 min read • Updated November 2026 • By the CliQ Team — the team that created Blink
What temperature should you set your thermostat to in winter? About 68°F when you're home and awake, and 7–10°F lower when you're asleep or away. The US Department of Energy says that kind of setback can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling. Pick the numbers once, put them on a schedule, and stop thinking about it.
What Is the Best Thermostat Temperature in Winter?
The best winter setting is the lowest temperature you find comfortable, and 68°F is the standard starting point. The Department of Energy has recommended about 68°F for years when people are home and awake. Start there. Move it one degree at a time until you stop noticing it.
Here is a schedule that follows the DOE's 7–10°F setback guidance, built around a normal day:
| When | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Morning, getting up | 68°F | Warm the house just before you're up, not hours before. |
| Day, nobody home | 58–61°F | A 7–10°F setback from 68°F. No one is there to feel it. |
| Evening, home | 68°F | Your comfort window. Don't go higher than you need. |
| Night, asleep | 58–64°F | 58–61°F is the full DOE setback. 62–64°F is a gentler version. Blankets do the work. |
These are starting points, not rules. If 58°F at night feels like too much, try 62°F. A smaller setback still saves energy. It just saves less.
Does Lowering the Thermostat Actually Save Money?
Yes. A thermostat setback means letting the house cool down on purpose while you don't need it warm, then heating it back up when you do. Your furnace works less while the house sits at the lower temperature, so you use less fuel.
The DOE number: you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning your thermostat down 7–10°F for 8 hours a day in the fall and winter.
Read that as a ceiling, not a promise. Your result depends on your climate, your house and your system. The 8 hours a day is the part that matters most, and it's also the easiest part to get without effort: you're already asleep for most of them, or at work.
Heating and cooling is the largest slice of a typical US home's energy use, at about 52% according to the EIA. That's why this one setting is worth getting right.
Does the house use more energy to heat back up?
No. This is the most common myth. A house that sits at a lower temperature loses heat to the outside more slowly than one held at a higher temperature, so the total energy over the day is lower, even after the reheat. The reheat just doesn't cancel out the savings.
When Should You Not Turn the Thermostat Down?
A few situations call for a smaller setback or none at all:
You have a heat pump
The DOE's guidance is specific: if you have a heat pump, don't use a setback unless your thermostat is designed for use with heat pumps. Check your thermostat's heat pump support before you build a schedule.
Someone in the home is very young, older, or has a health condition
Comfort and health come first. Keep it warmer. The savings aren't worth a cold house for the people who feel it most.
Your pipes are at risk
If you're away in a hard freeze, don't let the house drop low enough to threaten pipes. Pick a floor you're comfortable with and stick to it.
What's the Easiest Way to Keep It Set Right?
Put it on a schedule, so you never have to remember. A programmable or smart thermostat runs the numbers above automatically: warm for the morning, lower while you're out, warm again for the evening, lower for the night. Our guide on how to program a thermostat on any brand walks through it step by step. If your schedule ever stops being followed, here's why.
A schedule covers the predictable days. The unpredictable ones are where a connected thermostat earns its place. You leave early. You get home late. A snow day cancels everything. Most people don't want a thermostat that needs a manual. They want to open an app and change one number.
CliQ is built for exactly that. CliQ is a smart thermostat that works without a C-wire, runs on 2 AAA batteries, and costs $69.99. It has a four-phase schedule that matches the table above: morning, day, evening and night. When your day changes, you change the temperature from your phone, or tap Away. The app is free, with no subscription. It launches in November 2026.
Set the schedule once. Change it from your phone when life changes. $69.99, no C-wire.
See the CliQ Smart Thermostat →Frequently Asked Questions
What temperature should I set my thermostat to in winter?
About 68°F while you're home and awake, and 7–10°F lower while you're asleep or away. The Department of Energy recommends this approach. Adjust one degree at a time until you find the lowest setting that still feels comfortable.
What is the best thermostat setting at night in winter?
Try 58–61°F, which is 7–10°F below a 68°F daytime setting. That is the range the DOE links to savings of up to 10% a year. If that feels too cold, 62–64°F is a gentler drop. You still save, just less.
What temperature should I set my thermostat when I'm away?
Set it 7–10°F below your normal setting for any absence of about 8 hours or more. For a longer trip in freezing weather, choose a floor temperature that protects your pipes and stay above it.
Is it cheaper to leave the heat on all day or turn it down?
Turning it down is cheaper. A house at a lower temperature loses heat more slowly, so it uses less energy over the day even after it heats back up. The DOE says setting the thermostat back 7–10°F for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year.
Should I turn my thermostat down at night with a heat pump?
Only with a thermostat designed for heat pumps. The DOE advises against using a setback on a heat pump unless the smart or programmable thermostat is designed for use with heat pumps.
Can I change my thermostat temperature from my phone?
Yes, with a smart thermostat that has an app. You can raise or lower the temperature from anywhere with an internet connection, which makes it easy to adjust when your plans change. CliQ's app is free with every system.
Prices verified as of November 2026. Check retailer links for current pricing.
Sources
US Department of Energy — Energy Saver Guide, Smart and Programmable Thermostats (2022): https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2022-08/energy-saver-guide-2022.pdf
US Department of Energy — Six Simple Steps To Save Energy and Money This Winter (Jan 2022): https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/articles/six-simple-steps-save-energy-and-money-winter
US Department of Energy — Energy Is Everywhere! Staying Warm & Saving Energy this Winter (68°F guidance): https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/12/f27/EnergyIsEverywhere_webinar13.pdf
US Energy Information Administration — Use of Energy in Homes: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/homes.php
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