• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
EnergyRates.ca

EnergyRates.ca

Compare and Find the Lowest Energy Rates

Get a free quote call1-855-635-9608
  • Alberta
    • Regional Energy Services
      • City of Calgary
      • City of Edmonton
      • Fort McMurray
      • Grande Prairie
      • Medicine Hat
      • Red Deer
      • Crowsnest Pass
      • Cardston
      • Fort Macleod
      • Ponoka
      • Fort Saskatchewan
      • Cold Lake
      • Canmore
    • Rates & Information
      • Site Catalog Tool
      • Alberta Carbon Tax and Rebates
      • Regulated Services
      • Rate of Last Resort (ROLR)
      • Alberta Energy Market Data
      • Utilities Consumer Advocate and UCA Helps
      • Cutting Your Farm’s Energy Costs
      • Breaking Down Your Alberta Electricity and Natural Gas Bills
      • Obtaining Financial Assistance
      • Energy Disconnection and AUC Winter Reconnection Program
      • Electricity and Natural Gas Mediation
      • Electricity Services for Rental Properties
      • Who is my Energy Provider?
      • Micro-Generation in Alberta
      • Green Energy Credits
      • Alberta Energy Glossary
      • Understand Energy Bill Estimates and Meter Readings
      • How is The Pool Price for Electricity Determined in Alberta?
      • What is the AESO and How It Works
    • Electricity and Natural Gas Companies
      • AltaGas
      • ATCO Energy
      • Direct Energy
      • Encor by EPCOR
      • ENMAX Energy
      • Hudson Energy
      • Just Energy
      • Link Energy
      • Superior Energy
      • TransAlta
      • Spot Power
      • UTILITYnet
      • ACE Energy
      • Sponsor Energy
      • Burst Energy
      • Campus Energy
      • Ambit Energy
      • XOOM Energy
      • Peace Power
      • Ridge Utilities
      • Access Energy
      • Regional Energy
      • Olympus Energy
      • Acorn Energy
      • Astro Energy
      • PowerBill Electricity
      • Prairie Power
    • Regulated Rate Providers – Natural Gas and Electricity
      • AltaGas Utilities
      • City of Lethbridge Electric Utility
      • Direct Energy Regulated Services
      • ENMAX Power Corporation
      • EPCOR Energy Alberta GP Inc
    • Small Commercial Fixed Rate Providers
      • EasyMax
      • Encor by EPCOR
    • Wire Service Providers
      • AltaGas Utilities
      • ATCO Gas
      • City of Lethbridge Electric Utility
      • ENMAX Power Corporation
      • EPCOR Distribution & Transmission Inc
      • FortisAlberta
    • Energy Efficiency Programs in Alberta
      • Energy Saving Grants for Businesses in Alberta
      • How the Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP) Works in Alberta
  • BC
    • Regional Energy Services
      • Vancouver, BC Electricity Retailers and Natural Gas Providers
      • Surrey Electricity Providers and Natural Gas Services
      • Burnaby Electricity Providers and Natural Gas Services
      • Victoria, BC Electricity Retailers and Natural Gas Providers
    • Rates & Information
      • Breaking Down Your British Columbia Electricity & Natural Gas Bills
      • Explaining Your British Columbia Electricity & Natural Gas Rates
      • How to Read Your British Columbia Electricity & Natural Gas Meters
      • Why the British Columbia Energy Market is Regulated
      • How to Start, Transfer, or Change Your Electricity and Natural Gas Services in British Columbia
      • British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) 
    • Residential Natural Gas Retailers
      • FortisBC & Tarasen Gas
      • Access Gas Services
      • Planet Energy British Columbia
      • Direct Energy British Columbia
      • Just Energy British Columbia
      • Summitt Energy British Columbia
    • Commercial Natural Gas Retailers
      • Access Gas Services
      • Bluestream Energy
      • AltaGas British Columbia
      • Direct Energy British Columbia
      • Just Energy British Columbia
      • Planet Energy British Columbia
      • Summitt Energy British Columbia
    • Regulated Energy Providers
      • BC Hydro
      • FortisBC & Tarasen Gas
    • Home Renovation and Appliance Rebates
  • Manitoba
    • Regional Energy Services
      • Winnipeg
      • Brandon
      • Steinbach
    • Rates & Information
      • Breaking Down Your Manitoba Electricity & Natural Gas Bills
      • Explaining Your Manitoba Electricity & Natural Gas Rates
      • How to Read Your Manitoba Electricity & Natural Gas Meters
      • How to Start, Transfer, or Change Your Electricity and Natural Gas Services in Manitoba
      • Why the Manitoba Electricity Market is Regulated
    • Residential Natural Gas Retailers
      • Just Energy
      • Planet Energy
    • Commercial Natural Gas Retailers
      • ECNG Energy
    • Regulated Energy Providers
      • Manitoba Hydro
    • Manitoba Energy Efficiency Programs
  • Ontario
    • Regional Energy Services
      • Ottawa
      • Mississauga
      • Toronto
      • Brampton
      • Hamilton
      • London
      • Markham
      • Kitchener
      • Windsor
      • Burlington
      • Sudbury
      • Oshawa
      • Barrie
      • Guelph
      • Oakville
    • Rates & Information
      • Why the Ontario Energy Market is Regulated
      • Explaining Your Ontario Electricity Rates
      • Explaining Your Ontario Natural Gas Rates
      • Breaking Down Your Ontario Electricity Bill
      • Breaking Down Your Ontario Natural Gas Bill
      • What is the Global Adjustment?
      • How to Set Up Your Utility Service When You Move in Ontario
      • Does Your Ontario Energy Provider Require a Security Deposit?
      • How to Renew Your Energy Contract
      • How to Start Natural Gas Service for the First Time
      • Canceling an Ontario Energy Contract
      • How to Read Your Ontario Gas Meter
      • Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP)
      • Save On Energy
      • Green Energy in Ontario
      • Ontario’s Local Hydro Utilities or Local Distribution Companies (LDC)
      • Ontario Energy Efficiency Programs
    • Ontario Retail Electricity & Natural Gas Companies
      • Just Energy
      • MyRate Energy
      • Planet Energy
      • RiteRate Energy
      • Summitt Energy
    • Ontario Regulated Price Plan Providers
      • Hydro One
      • Enbridge Gas Distribution
      • Union Gas
  • Saskatchewan
    • Regional Energy Services
      • Saskatoon
      • Regina
      • Prince Albert
    • Rates & Information
      • Breaking Down Your Saskatchewan Electricity and Natural Gas Bill
      • Explaining Your Saskatchewan Electricity & Natural Gas Rates
      • How to Read Your Saskatchewan Electricity and Natural Gas Meters
      • How to Update Your Saskatchewan Energy Services
      • Why the Saskatchewan Electricity Market is Regulated
    • Residential Natural Gas Retailers
      • Future Now Energy
      • Just Energy
    • Commercial Natural Gas Retailers
      • Connect Energy
      • Hudson Energy
      • Peak Energy
    • Regulated Energy Providers
      • Saskatoon Light & Power
      • SaskEnergy
      • SaskPower
      • Swift Current Electricity Services
    • Commercial Energy Efficiency Programs
  • Québec
    • Regional Energy Services
      • Montréal
      • Québec City
      • Sherbrooke
      • Gatineau
      • Laval
      • Coaticook
      • Westmount
      • Lévis
      • Saguenay
      • Baie-Comeau
      • Longueuil
      • Trois-Rivières
      • Magog
      • Alma
      • Saint-Jean-Baptiste
      • Joliette
      • Amos
    • Rates & Information
      • Breaking Down Your Québec Electricity and Natural Gas Bills
      • Explaining Your Québec Electricity and Natural Gas Rates
      • How to Start, Transfer, or Change Your Electricity and Natural Gas Services in Québec
    • Residential Natural Gas Retailers
      • Just Energy
    • Commercial Natural Gas Retailers
      • Just Energy
      • Access Gas
      • Summit Energy
      • Hudson Energy
      • Active Energy
      • Direct Energy
      • Comsatec
    • Regulated Elecricity & Natural Gas Retailers
      • Énergir
      • Gazifère
      • Hydro-Québec 
    • Energy Efficiency Programs and Rebates in Québec
  • Plans/Products
    • Plans
      • Fixed Rate Plans
      • Floating Rate Plans
      • Regulated Rate Plans
      • Block Pricing Plans
      • Load Following Plans
    • Products
      • Residential Electricity and Natural Gas Plans
      • Small Business Electricity and Natural Gas Plans
      • Small Commercial Electricity and Natural Gas Plans
      • Large Commercial Electricity and Natural Gas Plans
      • Industrial Electricity and Natural Gas Plans
      • Farming Electricity and Natural Gas Plans
    • Utility Bonds
  • Tips
    • Electricity Rates – Tips for Keeping Your Energy Costs Low
    • Natural Gas Rates – Tips for Lowering Your Bills
    • Energy Rates Blog
    • Energy Stats
    •  FAQ
    • Disclaimer
  • Content Hubs
    • Solar Energy
    • Electric Vehicles
    • Product Reviews
  • Renewable Energy
    • Green Energy Rates & Renewable Energy Solutions
    • RECs, Carbon Offsets & Green Building Certification
    • Carbon Accounting for Corporations: Scopes 1, 2, and 3
    • Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs)
    • How to Market Corporate Sustainability Projects
  • EN

What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat in Winter?

Looking for cheaper electricity or natural gas? Find a better rate with Canada’s top energy comparison site.

Find a cheaper energy rate

1
The ideal thermostat settings in Canada (Photo: Moja Msanii on Unsplash)

The best temperature to set the thermostat in winter

We’re all probably a little guilty of messing with our thermostats too much during the winter. On one hand, you want your home to be warm and comfortable, but on the other, you don’t want to pay a huge amount on your energy bill. The 2006 Survey of Household Spending by Statistics Canada (StatCan) revealed that Canadians spend an average of $1,895 on electricity, natural gas as well as other fuels for heating and cooking at home. With such high energy costs, we’re all looking for ways to save on energy in the winter, especially with how cold the winter can get in Canada.

So then, you might be asking ‘what is a reasonable temperature for a house in winter?’ or ‘what temperature should I set my thermostat in winter in Canada?’ What might surprise you is that there isn’t a single answer to this question – it really depends on factors such as if there’s anybody at home or what time of the day it is. In this post, we’ll walk you through the general recommendations for winter thermostat settings and explain the reasoning behind them.

Recommended thermostat settings in the winter

Obviously, the average thermostat setting for winter is going to be higher than any thermostat setting in the summer. What might not be so obvious is that the recommended thermostat setting in the winter depends on the time of day. The ideal healthy home temperature in winter should be no higher than 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re at home during the day – you’ll be reasonably comfortable at this temperature without splurging on heating.

If you can stand it, however, you could always turn down your thermostat for more savings. According to the United States Department of Energy, dialling back your thermostat by 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit (around 5.6 Celsius) can help you save as much as 10% on your heating bills each year. 

When you’re away from home, the suggested thermostat temperature in winter is between 17 and 19 °C. After all, why make your home nice and toasty when there’s no one around to enjoy it?

Be sure not to turn down your thermostat too low though – turning down your thermostat any lower than 17 degrees Celsius could result in your pipes freezing, as well as costly repair. The average house temperature needs to be comfortable and safe in the first place. This is particularly important for seniors.

According to Aire Serv, seniors shouldn’t lower the thermostat below 20 degrees Celsius during winter, as elderly adults may suffer serious health complications from drops or peaks in internal body temperatures.

What heating temperatures are appropriate for your home at night?

Now that you know what temperature to set your home during the day, you might be wondering what the best thermostat settings are for nighttime. Your thermostat should be set to between 17 and 19 degrees Celsius when you’re in bed – you’ll be warm under the covers so there’s no need to overheat your home.

Lowering your thermostat settings in the winter isn’t only important for saving you money on your energy bills – setting an appropriate nighttime temperature in your home can also have an impact on your health.

Studies such as this one by the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, which was conducted in 2012, indicate that the temperature of the room you sleep in can play a big part in how well you sleep. When you go to sleep, your body temperature drops a little bit – it’s easier to make that transition in a cooler room than in a warmer one. Thus, it’s possible that sleeping in a colder room can help you get to sleep faster and help you sleep better.

What if I don’t want to change my thermostat settings manually?

Sometimes, we’re forgetful or we just don’t want to deal with having to change the temperature on our thermostats every day. There’s good news – you don’t have to if you install a smart thermostat in your home. Smart thermostats are an energy-efficient upgrade that can help save you energy in the winter.

Looking for a smart thermostat? Check our guide on the best options for your home

Smart thermostats can ‘learn’ your schedule (for example, what time you leave home and what time you come home) and ‘learn’ what temperatures you prefer at such times. Consequently, they can turn up or turn down the temperature accordingly. With a little investment, you’ll always have the ideal winter thermostat settings running in your home.

What can I do to reduce the load on my thermostat?

You can reduce the temperature you set your thermostat at and save money on your heating bill by using the following tips:

  • Seal any cracks around windows and doors where cold air can get in
  • Layer up – instead of cranking the thermostat up, put on a few extra layers.
  • Place rugs on floors and use thick curtains to reduce how cold your home feels

Hopefully, this guide has given you enough information on how to decide what temperature to set the thermostat in winter. But did you know there are more ways you can save on your heating bills besides adjusting your temperature settings?

One easy way you can lower your heating bills this winter is by comparing energy rates. You can find the best electricity and natural gas prices available and make sure you’re not paying more for energy than you have to.

EnergyRates.ca can help you compare all the available energy rates in your area and find the best energy plans in Canada. EnergyRates.ca is a free and unbiased cost comparison tool and can currently be used to compare energy rates in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Québec.

You can use EnergyRates.ca to compare natural gas and electricity rates in your area regardless of being a commercial or residential consumer. Small business, small commercial, large commercial and industrial electricity and natural gas consumers can get a free custom quote based on their energy needs.

Using EnergyRates.ca is simple – all you need to do is fill in your postal code in the form above and you’ll be able to compare the best energy rates available in your location.

Primary Sidebar

Footer

EnmaxEpcorSponsor EnergyEncorDirect EnergyRite Rate
EasyMaxEncorSpot PowerHudson EnergySummitt EnergyEncor

Get Monthly Energy Insights!

Alberta fair competition statement:

Customers are free to purchase natural gas services or electricity services from a retailer of their choice. For a list of retailers, visit www.ucahelps.gov.ab.ca or call 310-4822 (toll free in Alberta).

review
  • Scholarship Information
  • Press Room
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 ENERGYRATES.CA