What’s best thermostat setting for winter?

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who set the thermostat to one temperature and leave it alone and those who turn it on, shut it off, raise it and lower it at their every whim.

So what is the best setting for the thermostat during the winter?

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends 68 degrees as the ideal temperature to save energy and still be comfortable. The agency adds that you should be mindful of “setting it lower while you’re asleep or away from home.”

In addition, the government agency says that no matter what temperature you like, homeowners can save about 10% a year (up to hundreds of dollars) on their energy bills by dialing the thermostat back 7-10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours every day

Money expert Clark Howard says that newer technology helps keep his family comfortable during the colder months of the year. “I have a Nest thermostat so the house is on 68 during the day and 64 at night.”

You may have been told by your heating company that it’s best to leave your HVAC unit on for most of the day so your system doesn’t have to work so hard to heat the home when the temperature drops in the evening.

The Energy Department disagrees. From its website: “A common misconception associated with thermostats is that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature after the thermostat has been set back, resulting in little or no savings. In fact, as soon as your house drops below its normal temperature, it will lose energy to the surrounding environment more slowly.”