How Many Hours a Day Should Your Heating Be On? The Trick for a Warm Home Without Sky-High Bills
Stave off the cold without wasting money as winter snowstorms hit
Heating is not getting any cheaper. As energy costs continue to climb and winter temperatures swing from mild days to sudden cold snaps and snowstorms across the US, many homeowners are left wondering how many hours a day their heat really needs to be on to stay comfortable without racking up eye-watering bills.
According to HVAC experts, the key to staying warm without overspending is consistency. They recommend keeping your home at a comfortable 68-70° Fahrenheit for about 8 to 10 hours a day, rather than constantly adjusting the thermostat. This steady approach helps maintain comfort while reducing strain on your system.
Here’s how experts create an optimal schedule to make heating more efficient so you can stay warm without suffering through the cold or sticker shock when the bill arrives.
How Many Hours a Day Should Your Heating Be on in Winter?
With winter energy costs still running high, many homeowners are asking whether it is actually cheaper to leave the heating on all day. However, experts say a more strategic approach works better. In most cases, heating your home for around eight to ten hours a day is enough to stay comfortable without driving up bills.
Michael Morey, smart thermostat and home project manager at Trane Technologies, explains, ‘The best way to save energy and costs in the winter while still maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home is to set your thermostat to 68° F. At this temperature, your heating system provides enough warmth to counteract heat loss through windows, doors, and walls, which can contribute to significant energy loss and higher heating bills.’
As long as you stick to this schedule, eight to ten hours should be sufficient, provided you avoid common heating mistakes that cause systems to work harder than necessary.
In recent testing, we found the new heating standard of 68-70°F, as recommended by the World Health Organization to reduce respiratory illness and keep vulnerable household members safer, also stops condensation on windows and surfaces, whilst keeping your house warm all day. As your system cycles on and off less, and for shorter periods when it does come on to maintain this temperature inside, your bills will not increase.
Morey adds that comfort needs can vary, but small adjustments can still lead to meaningful savings.
Whilst dropping your thermostat when you're out may reduce your annual heating expenses by up to 10 percent, it can conversely raise them by forcing your system to work even harder to get the overall temperature back up. Heating and maintaining a constant temperature has proven to be more cost-effective, and more comfortable.
How Long to Leave Your Heating On
Using a smart thermostat such as the Nest, available on Amazon, will reduce energy wastage and maintain a constant, comfortable temperature indoors.
How long you keep your heating on can depend on your daily routine and whether you’re home during the colder months.
James Parsons, VP of operations at Air Pros USA , says, ‘Having a programmable smart thermostat set on a schedule is the best way to manage energy this winter. You can program most thermostats to maintain a specific temperature when you wake up, leave for work, return home, and go to bed. Keeping a consistent schedule helps your heating system run efficiently, even during cold snaps and icy mornings.’
After Head of Solved, Punteha van Terheyden, swapped her old thermostat for a smart one, she saved hundreds on her energy bills over winter.
For homeowners aiming to maximize energy savings this season, Michael Morey adds, ‘Upgrading to an HVAC zoning system can make a big difference. This system divides the home into separate zones, letting each area be heated or cooled independently. Each zone has its own thermostat, so you only heat the rooms you’re using. This can help save energy and reduce bills while keeping the house cozy during the winter months.’
If you are worried about keeping your home warm all day, taking simple measures to help trap warm air and minimize air transfer will help. Draft-proofing a home, for instance, is the quickest way to prevent cold air from seeping in and hot air from leaking out. It's especially important to draft-proof an entryway if the thermostat is nearby.
When Solved editor Punteha draft-proofed the entryway in her home, it also eliminated cold and hot spots. She used stick-on foam draft blockers from Amazon on her front door and the door that leads to her living room. 'The thermostat is located just by that internal door, and the drafts in my entryway were tripping the heating on, and creating hot spots upstairs. It remained cold in the living room until I draftproofed the doors.'
If you have the time and funds, upgrading to the best attic insulation types for your property will also help you retain costly heat, especially in cold snaps and winter snowstorms. Improving your home's insulation will have a drastic impact on your home’s energy efficiency and ability to regulate temperature in both summer and winter.
A simple way to see if your home is staying warm this winter is to perform a quick snow test. After a snowfall, check your roof. If it remains covered in snow, your insulation is doing its job and preventing heat from escaping. If the snow is patchy or melts quickly, it could be a sign that it’s time to replace your attic's insulation to keep your home cozy and energy bills under control.
What to Shop
Josh Mitchell, HVAC technician at Air Conditioner Lab, says, 'This is easy to use and great for people looking to monitor and control heating remotely. It also provides energy-saving suggestions based on your patterns.'
Josh rates this touchscreen thermostat and says, 'This is another excellent option for smart control and energy savings. It integrates well with Alexa and other smart systems.' That includes Siri and Google Assistant.
This has a touchscreen display and is compatible with Alexa. Josh recommends it and says, 'This model includes room sensors to prioritize heating in occupied areas, adding comfort and efficiency.'
Foam weather stripping sticks to the edge of your doors and windows to block small gaps and prevent air transfer, helping to keep your home warmer for less. It's best reserved for small gaps under an inch.
Window film adds an extra layer of insulation to windows to help keep heat in and make your home feel warmer throughout winter. This kit reduces heat loss on your windows by up to 35%.
Insulating foam expands on application to fill gaps up to one inch in size, preventing air transfer for a warmer home. It's a quick fix for pesky gaps and especially good for sealing around utilities. This will also help keep pests out.
FAQs
Is it worth having the heating on for one hour?
Generally, leaving the heating on for just one hour isn’t worth it. For most homes, one hour isn’t long enough to noticeably warm the air, though small studios and apartments may feel some benefit. Larger homes, like a four-bedroom house, are unlikely to notice any difference.
It’s more efficient to turn the heat on when you need it, let it run for a few hours to fully warm the space, and then turn it off once you’re comfortable, or better yet, allow your smart thermostat to do this for you.
This approach keeps energy use in check while still keeping your home cozy during the colder months.
To prevent a boiler breakdown in the grip of a cold winter, be mindful of the things that make your heating system work harder. This will also help you improve efficiency and warm up your space more quickly, and lower bills.
You should also avoid cranking the dial when the temperature outside drops. There is little benefit, and it won't lead to your home getting warm any faster, but it might result in parts wearing out quicker and a breakage occurring.
