Welcome to Florida, where you have to decide what hoodie/T-shirt/shorts combination will cover you for the frigid mornings and warm afternoons of winter.
It was cold in North and Central Florida earlier this week and then it warmed back up. Another minor cold front brought freeze warnings to North Florida Thursday night through Friday morning, the weekend is expected to be warm and sunny, and a strong cold front is forecast to hit Sunday and Monday. Getting dizzy yet?
But amid the seesawing temperatures and the relative benefits of iced tea and hot chocolate, cold weather of any kind brings up the age-old question: What temperature should you set your thermostat at in Florida?
Whatever the weather, it comes down to a matter of personal choice, comfort and health. It also might come down to what you can afford.
Electric and gas bills have been rising nationwide, spiking 41% between 2020 and 2025, according to a September analysis by J.D. Power, based on prices for electricity, gas and water in the second quarter of each year. And in November, the Florida Public Service Commission approved what critics called one of the highest Florida Power & Light rate increases in history, with rising costs expected to affect about 12 million customers.
Here’s what to know.
When is it time to turn on the heat in your home?
While it’s ultimately a personal choice, most experts recommend turning on the heat in your home when the outside temperature is less than 55 or 50 degrees, or when the indoor temperature dips below 64 degrees.
This may change depending on whether there are children or elderly people in the home, how well-insulated your home is, and your personal comfort levels.
What’s the best temperature to set your thermostat to in the winter in Florida?
Most people are comfortable at temps between 68 and 72 degrees. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, you can save energy in the winter by keeping the thermostat closer to 68 degrees while you’re awake.
While you’re asleep or away from your home, OEERE recommends setting it lower, either manually or with a programmable thermostat. DirectEnergy.com suggests 62 to 66 degrees for those times, so your heater isn’t kicking on when it’s not needed.
“You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting,” OEERE said on its website.
The World Health Organization recommends keeping indoor temperatures between 64 and 75 degrees for healthy people. But for those who are very young, elderly or who have health problems, the minimum temperature shouldn’t dip below 68 degrees, the organization says.
What temperature do you keep your thermostat on in the winter?
In this ongoing poll, most readers (20.35%) opted to keep their temps at 74 and above. But the next highest temp, 68, got 19.77% of the vote, so clearly comfort levels vary.
Heating tips to keep costs down
To help minimize that heating bill, here are some tips from the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy:
You should also have your heating system inspected and cleaned by a professional. Better to find out any problems now and get some preventive maintenance done before it cuts out on a freezing night.
How to keep cold air out
You can also take some steps to give your heating system less to do by keeping cold air out of the house in the first place.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: More Florida cold coming. What temperature should you set your thermostat?
Reporting by C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
