Like a lot of homeowners, I’m delaying turning on the heat for as long as possible, especially with heating costs set to rise this winter in many regions, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. At the same time, my home in New York City includes a rental unit, so I’m required by city law to provide heat for my tenants starting October 1. Never mind that it was over 80°F this week in the city.
All this begs the question: when is the best time to turn on your home’s heating system? Obviously, the answer depends on where you live, with colder weather arriving earlier the farther north you go, or the higher up in elevation that your home sits. So rather than going by a specific date, like the lawmakers of New York, it’s best to base your decision on a combination of indoor and outdoor temperatures. Our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab suggest the following thresholds:
- Indoor temperatures: Consistently below 65°F
Outdoor temperatures: Consistently below 60°F
These are guidelines, of course. Personal preferences will come into play, since some people like the house to be cooler than others (have I mentioned the thermostat war that plays out in my home each winter?). The type of fuel you use to heat your home is another factor. Households in the Northeast that heat with oil might be more motivated to delay turning on the system, since their fuel prices are projected to surge 21%. But homes in the same region that heat with natural gas could see their costs decrease by 14%.
Whatever date you land on this year for kicking on the heat, there are steps you can take to keep your costs in check without a major sacrifice in comfort. Here are some that I’ll be using in my home.
- Manage the thermostat: It doesn’t make sense to turn the heat on and off throughout the day and night, since the system will end up using more energy to repeatedly make the house warm again. Instead, it’s best to lower the temperature by about 10 degrees when you’re asleep or away. Those adjustments can lower your total heating costs by about 10%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, which works out to around $200 for the average household.
- Let in the sun: Keep curtains and blinds open during the day, especially those on south-facing windows that get the most sun. This will create a greenhouse effect, raising the temperature in your home by several degrees. Remember to close them at night to trap the indoor heat that’s built up over the day, while reducing the overnight chill from cold windows.
- Spot heat with space heaters: Heating an entire home with space heaters isn’t normally cost-effective, since the devices consume a lot of power and electricity rates are up in many states. That said, if you spend most of your waking hours in one room, running a space heater there might be cheaper than heating the entire house. To avoid the risk of fire, be sure to turn the space heater off before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Check your ceiling fan: In the winter, the blades on the fan should spin clockwise and at a low speed, to create an updraft that bounces warm air off the ceiling and back into the room. That will let you lower the temperature in that room by a few degrees.
Having written thousands of product reviews and how-to articles on all aspects of home ownership, from routine maintenance to major renovations, Dan (he/him) brings more than 20 years of industry experience to his role as the director of the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. A one-time roofer and a serial remodeler, Dan can often be found keeping house at his restored Brooklyn brownstone, where he lives with his wife and kids.
