Sphragis t1_j6mvlgo wrote on January 31, 2023 at 1:41 PM

We have an older (1940) house with crap insulation.

Our rule-of-thumb has been to keep it no lower than 55 in order to avoid pipes freezing. But even over the past couple of weeks we turn it down 52 or so at night.

Is the prevailing wisdom that, in the case of exceptional cold like that predicted, we need to crank it so much higher? Heating oil is less expensive than fixing burst pipes, so no argument from a cost standpoint.

But... we really do prefer the house on the cooler side and the idea of setting the thermometer to 70 seems crazy and annoying from a comfort perspective. I feel like I'd have to crack a window in order to make the bedroom cool enough to sleep if our furnace is trying to heat up to 70!

OnePsychological6076 OP t1_j6mwo0k wrote on January 31, 2023 at 1:49 PM

Set to your comfort level and leave that temperature on hold. Most people turn the temperature up during, if home, and down at night for sleeping. The down side to this during extreme weather is the boiler won’t circulate hot water while the inside temperature drops. This could lead to pipes freezing during that off cycle.

Second, if you keep your home at 55, I’d recommend going to 60 and keep it at that temperature until the cold snap is over, all day and night.

Samuel7899 t1_j6p4bkg wrote on January 31, 2023 at 10:14 PM

There are a few different considerations to keep in mind.

One, is that the temperature setting is only measured at the thermostat. This temperature tapers off between the thermostat and the exterior. In well-insulated homes, the temperature only drops a little between the thermostat and exterior wall, with a big drop-off through the wall insulation.

In a poorly insulated home, this drop-off is more noticeable between the thermostat and the exterior wall. So keep in mind where any pipes may be. If you have any that are close to a poorly insulated exterior wall, they can be a few degrees cooler at that location, even though the thermostat stays the same.