How to Handle Thermostat Wars in Your Home
How much money did you spend on heat last year? Chances are, it was more than you were expecting—as much as 13 percent more, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration—and even though inflation is starting to cool down, you still may be a little hesitant to turn up the thermostat.
However, the other members of your household may disagree. Whether you’re dealing with family members or negotiating with roommates, you’re unlikely to come up with a single indoor temperature that feels comfortable for everybody. That said, a lower indoor temperature could be better for your budget, not to mention the environment—which is why it’s important to address and resolve the thermostat wars as quickly as possible.
"If you run your heat less, you will save money," says Kelsey MacDermaid, an interior designer and American Standard Homeowning 01 Instructor who is also half of the design empowerment team The Sorry Girls. Becky Wright, the other half, agrees—and the two of them offered their best strategies to help you win the thermostat battle, keep your home comfortable and save as much money as possible as the weather gets cool.
Turning up the heat vs. putting on a sweater
If your home feels a little chilly, should you turn up the thermostat or put on a sweater? The Sorry Girls agree that layering is the way to go—whether you’re hoping to save money, reduce your energy footprint, or help yourself acclimate to the change of seasons.
"Start with a sweater," says Wright, "and if you’re still cold after that you can look to increase the heat a little."
And don’t forget about your feet—which have the power to cool down the entire body if you aren’t careful. Thick socks and warm slippers could do as much to keep you warm as raising the thermostat, so make sure you keep your toes well insulated! If you go out in cold weather and come back in with cold feet, consider switching your socks for a fresh pair.
Heating the entire house vs. heating a specific room
If your household is anything like mine, there’s probably at least one person who runs hot—and another person who runs cold. My ideal indoor temperature in winter is around 65 degrees Fahrenheit; my partner prefers 70. How can you keep your home comfortable enough for everybody, even if you can’t agree on where to set the thermostat?
Wright and MacDermaid suggest looking for person-by-person solutions—or, if necessary, room-by-room.
"There are different solutions that can work individually instead of adjusting the entire house," MacDermaid explains. "For example, getting space heaters and humidifiers in different rooms, or getting duvets and comforters with a different thickness."
This is how we’ve solved the problem in our house, in case you’re curious. We keep the interior household temperature around 67 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 65 at night, but my partner will often run a space heater in his office as he works—and if the main part of the house is too warm for me in the afternoon, I’ll take my laptop up to the bedroom, which was built as an addition to the home and has a separate thermostat and heating system.
Cooling down your bedroom vs. cranking up the heat
Where do you set the thermostat before you go to bed? While nobody wants to feel cold as they try to fall asleep, the truth is that many of us sleep more soundly in a cool room—between 60 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Sleep Foundation—and you could end up saving a lot of money by taking advantage of this natural phenomenon.
"When your room is on the cooler side," Wright explains, "it can help you both fall asleep and stay asleep."
Some people set their thermostat to a higher-than-usual temperature right before bed, warming up the room so they don’t have to huddle under a cold duvet. The Sorry Girls suggest keeping your bedroom cool throughout the day—without warming it up before you sleep. "A steadier, more consistent temperature is more economical," says MacDermaid.
Alternatives to using your thermostat
If you’re looking for alternative ways to heat your home, you may want to consider adding a wood-burning stove or external fireplace to one of the central rooms in your house. These options are not necessarily cheap—an electric fireplace with a built-in mantel could run you as much as $600, and a pellet stove could cost $1,500 or more—and each of them requires some kind of energy source, whether you’re using gas, electricity, or wood.
These kinds of heating sources also come with their own risks, including the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke inhalation, and fire—which is why many apartment complexes do not allow renters to use alternative heating sources, including space heaters. Keep that in mind before you install an expensive external heating element. You should also be aware that you may not save as much money as you think, and—in some cases—your alternate heating source may be less efficient than simply keeping the thermostat at a higher setting.
If you’re looking for less expensive ways of keeping your home warm, consider tried-and-true options like drapes, rugs, and draft protectors—or newer options like covering your windows with thermal insulating film. You might even want to buy a pair of USB-powered heated slippers!
Lastly, if you have ceiling fans, don’t forget to switch the direction in which each fan spins. During the colder months, your fan should spin clockwise to circulate warm air throughout the room. When the weather gets warm again, switch your fan to a counterclockwise spin to create a cool breeze while sucking warmer air toward the ceiling. Little tweaks like these could save you a lot of money over time—which might be exactly what you need to feel comfortable this winter.
Top photo by Montse Zamorano and originally found in With an Otherworldly Shape, This Finnish Cabin Fends Off Subarctic Cold
Related Reading:
Published