Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Temperature Setting

My thermostat is set to 67 when we are home and 63 when we are not at home. I was told that setting it more than 4 degrees will actually be using more energy to get it back to 67. My energy bill was $250 last month and my oil bill was $275. Yikes!!! I never paid so much last year during this same time of the year and the temps in this area have not been blustery cold yet. Any advice? My friend told me that he sets their temp to 70 when they are home and 60 when they are out and their PSE&G bill was only $175 for last month. Is it OK to have a 8 - 10 degree difference?

I'm in Minnesota, and I use our program set point at these settings.

6:30 - 8am, 68˚

8-6pm - 55˚

6 - 10pm- 68˚

10 - 6:30am- 60˚

We are on the gas budget plan of $66 a month.

The t-stat has a smart recovery, and it learns how long it takes to get up to temp, and start early as needed... (With temps in the teen, starts about an hour early, spring time about 15 min early)

I was told that setting it more than 4 degrees will actually be using more energy to get it back to 67... Is it OK to have a 8 - 10 degree difference?

Whoever told you that is wrong, however there are a few potential problems with large (6 F or greater) setbacks, these include:

1) Air at 35% relative humidity at 72°C will see an increase to 50% at 60F, which may cause moisture to condense out on windows and even exterior walls and in cool areas such as closets. Many people tend to set their humidistats too high even during the day, so this can this can be a real problem at night. With a large setback you either have to set the humidistat quite low, use an automated humidistat, or both.

2) A properly sized furnace or boiler can take quite a while to raise a house 6-10 degrees, so if you want large setbacks you will have to shorten the setback period if you want to wake up in a warm house.

3) Building materials stay cool for some time after the air warms (ceramic tile floors and shower walls and pans and cast iron tubs are examples).
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Jay - 55 - 68. How long does it take to go up 13 deg? Does the temp ever drop down to 55 during the day? It takes about a little over an hour to go from 62 - 67. Is that too long?

I plan on going on vacation in January for two weeks. What temperature can I keep my thermostat at to avoid pipes from bursting? My friend kept it at 60 and it bursted. Weird!

Jay - 55 - 68. How long does it take to go up 13 deg?
On mine, it takes about an hour and half.


Does the temp ever drop down to 55 during the day?
No, I have not seen it go that low in the day time.. May go down as low as 63˚.

I plan on going on vacation in January for two weeks. What temperature can I keep my thermostat at to avoid pipes from bursting?
55˚ to 60˚

My friend kept it at 60 and it bursted. Weird!

Where was the pipe that burst? Must of been in an unheated area some where. Open the heat vents in your basement.

I dont have a heat vent in my basement. Neither does my friend. What temp setting is good to keep my thermostat at while on vacation in January?

Is my unit too small if it takes an hour and a half to go from 62 - 67?

I like your schedule. What schedule would you recommend for me on my programming since it takes an hour and a half to go up 5 degrees.

Is my unit too small if it takes an hour and a half to go from 62 - 67?


Not necessarily. Mine is probably oversized and it takes an hour or more to go from 62 to 68.

If during the coldest weather your furnace is still cycling on and off, although the on cycle may be better than 90% of the time, it is okay.

Most furnaces are oversized.

Furd pretty much said it.

I have a 1,500 sq ft home with a 60k two stage, and takes about hour and half.

On the coldest day (design temp) the furnace should run non-stop and be able to keep temp.

If the forcast says -20˚, then I put my t-stat to HOLD since it may have a very hard time to recover from a set back of 60˚

Jay - What outside temperature do you decide to change your heating program to a hold setting?

I plan on setting my thermostat to hold while I am away on vacation. I just need a temp setting good enough to keep the pipes OK and not waste too much electricity. What do you suggest as the minimum hold temperature.

Furd pretty much said it.

I have a 1,500 sq ft home with a 60k two stage, and takes about hour and half.

On the coldest day (design temp) the furnace should run non-stop and be able to keep temp.

If the forcast says -20˚, then I put my t-stat to HOLD since it may have a very hard time to recover from a set back of 60˚

You really never hear this being discussed, but aren't there people out there who are willing to splurge a little on heat, because they really value being nice and toasty and are willing to pay for it? -I- am, and appreciate my furnace that kicks out 180 degree heat (confirmed with 3 thermometers) and can heat the place up in minutes, and I enjoy sitting on the register and let the heat go up my back, (or stands on it to thaw out my frozen feet) after I have come in from the outside, shaking like a leaf at times, wet and frozen. I am willing to pay for that. You'd think that surely I can't be the only one. Maybe it costs me $300 extra a heating season?; I'm willing to pay that to be toasty.

This poor (as in unfortunate and blind) woman I know that lives in this condo that has a 40k furnace that only puts out 106 degree heat and she says she always feels drafty and cold, I feel sorry for her. If the temp is 4 degres lower than what she wants, it takes an eternity to raise the house temp up to set temp.

my furnace that kicks out 180 degree heat (confirmed with 3 thermometers) and can heat the place up in minutes, and I enjoy sitting on the register and let the heat go up my back, (or stands on it to thaw out my frozen feet) after I have come in from the outside, shaking like a leaf at times, wet and frozen..

If you are heating floor registers to 180F you are creating a serious burn hazard for small children, the elderly and the disabled - contact with a 180F surface can produce second and even third degree burns under a second.

I dont have a heat vent in my basement. Neither does my friend.
That's why the pipes froze! you need a vent or two down there to get some heat, and also adding heat down there give the floor some warmth.

What temp setting is good to keep my thermostat at while on vacation in January?
being that you don't have any vents down there, 60˚.


Is my unit too small if it takes an hour and a half to go from 62 - 67?
Heavens no... That's good.

I like your schedule. What schedule would you recommend for me on my programming since it takes an hour and a half to go up 5 degrees.
A Honeywell t-stat has a smart recovery, and it learns how long it takes to recover, and use that on the next day.. It learns everday, so comes spring, may take 15 min, it will start 15 min early.

Jay - What outside temperature do you decide to change your heating program to a hold setting?

I put it on HOLD when it gets about -15˚ to -20˚(That's what my design temp is)

You really never hear this being discussed, but aren't there people out there who are willing to splurge a little on heat, because they really value being nice and toasty and are willing to pay for it?
Oh, I am sure there are a few people out there who don't do set back.. Mostly cuz they are home all times, or has a new born baby.


appreciate my furnace that kicks out 180 degree heat (confirmed with 3 thermometers) and can heat the place up in minutes,
Sounds like it's oversized! It takes the furnace about 10 to 15 min to reach it's peak effencicy.




This poor (as in unfortunate and blind) woman I know that lives in this condo that has a 40k furnace that only puts out 106 degree heat and she says she always feels drafty and cold, I feel sorry for her. If the temp is 4 degres lower than what she wants, it takes an eternity to raise the house temp up to set temp.

SOunds like the blower is set too high, Mine runs about 125˚ at first stage, and 130˚ on 2nd stage. I don't have any draft in 1st stage, just a soft flow of air.