Should you turn down the heat at night or when you're away?

A lower setting can save energy. The right schedule depends on what heats your home.

The answer in 2 lines. For many homes, lowering the thermostat while everyone is asleep or away saves energy. Reheating afterward does not automatically erase those savings. Heat pumps need more care: a large temperature increase can activate costly auxiliary heat. Steam and radiant floor systems also respond slowly. During freezing weather, keep the heating available and protect vulnerable pipes. There is no single nationwide overnight temperature or vacation setting that suits every household.

The first steps

Identify your system: furnace, boiler with radiators, radiant floor, electric baseboard or heat pump. If you rent and aren't sure, ask the building manager before changing shared heating controls.
Write down your current schedule and comfort setting. Start with a modest reduction during times when everyone can comfortably tolerate it, rather than copying another home's settings.
Check how your thermostat resumes its schedule after a temporary adjustment. A permanent hold can accidentally cancel the routine you intended to use.

Stop: danger

Freezing weather: don't switch the heating off in a home with plumbing that could freeze. A warm thermostat location does not prove that pipes in exterior walls or crawl spaces are protected.
Portable heaters: don't use an unattended portable heater as your vacation freeze-protection plan. Follow the CPSC's 2026 safety guidance; read the portable-heater section before using one.

Match the schedule to the equipment

Conventional furnace or electric resistance heat: a lower setting during an unoccupied period can reduce heat loss. Restore your normal comfort setting when needed.
Heat pump: favor a steady setting unless your equipment and thermostat support an appropriate setback routine. Ask the installer whether recovery will activate auxiliary resistance heat.
Steam or radiant floor heat: allow for slow response. A schedule that works for forced-air heat may leave these rooms chilly when you return.

The Vermont Energy Saver thermostat guide explains these differences; use its system-specific considerations to choose your approach.

What not to do

Assuming that reheating a cooler home always uses more energy than maintaining the higher temperature continuously.
Turning the thermostat far above your desired temperature to hurry recovery. That can lead to overshooting or unnecessary auxiliary heat.
Applying an aggressive schedule without considering older adults, infants, health needs or anyone who remains home.
Assuming a snowflake symbol or vacation preset protects every pipe in your particular building.

Before a winter trip

Keep the heating operational, check the weather and arrange for someone to notice a heating failure or leak. Confirm any winter precautions in your insurance policy and rental agreement.

The American Red Cross frozen-pipe guide, consulted in 2026, recommends leaving heat on at no lower than 55°F when away during cold weather. Read its prevention section and check exposed plumbing before departure. This is a precaution, not a guarantee: vulnerable homes may need a higher setting or professional winterization. During very cold weather, the guide recommends maintaining the same thermostat setting day and night.

What to check before replacing the thermostat

Compatibility matters more than extra features. Electric baseboard controls and central heating controls are not interchangeable. Heat pumps may need controls that manage auxiliary heat and gradual recovery.

Use the Building America thermostat-controls guide to review heat-pump adaptive recovery and installation considerations. Ask a qualified heating professional to confirm compatibility before purchasing. There is no need to buy a connected thermostat simply to make a manual adjustment.

Good to know

Judge a schedule by comfort and actual energy use across comparable weather, rather than a single bill.
State and local rental heating requirements can limit how building heat is managed. An energy-saving recommendation does not override those duties.
If the home cannot reach its normal setting, investigate the heating problem instead of repeatedly raising the thermostat.

Illustrative example: Dana sets a lower daytime temperature while the house is empty. After learning that the heat pump uses auxiliary heat during recovery, Dana asks the installer to review the controls and adopts a steadier schedule. Before a winter trip, Dana separately checks pipe protection instead of relying on the thermostat's vacation label.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on November 5, 2026, for the United States. Confidence: high for the general setback principle and freeze precautions; medium for the best setting in an individual home, which depends on equipment, occupants and pipe exposure. Sources include undated guidance consulted in 2026; no universal savings percentage is promised.