Unless you live alone, there's a good chance you've clashed with partners, roommates or other family members over just how warm your home should be in the winter.

It's a debate as old as the HVAC system itself: What is the ideal thermostat setting to balance personal comfort and the bank?

And now that the cold months are upon us, battles over the thermostat are sure to begin.

Depending on what kind of HVAC system you have and how well you handle the cold, you could save some money by understanding the best method for programming your thermostat.

So, before you go instigating more thermostat wars with others in your household, consider these tips from experts about proper home temperatures for the winter.

What you should set your thermostat at in the winter

Turns out, there's a magic number for what experts say you should set your thermostat to in the winter.

That setting? 68 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Department of Energy.

If that's too specific, anywhere around 70 degrees is a good target when it gets cold, Ram Narayanamurthy, deputy director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Building Technologies Office, told USA TODAY.

“A home that’s at 70 degrees is quite comfortable,” Narayanamurthy said.

Turn the heat down when you're away

But setting your thermostat to a specific temperature and never changing it won't be good for your heating bills.

While around 70 degrees is ideal, it's unwise to set your thermostat to one temperature and never change it. Lower temperatures may be more comfortable when sleeping at night and can help keep your bill down when you're away from your home, Narayanamurthy cautioned.

The Energy Department says that even turning thermostats back 7 to 10 degrees from their normal settings for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on homeowners' heating and cooling costs. And contrary to one prevailing misconception, your heating system doesn't work any harder to warm your house back up after you lower the heat for a set time.

Narayanamurthy said he usually sets his at 64 degrees if he leaves his home for an extended period of time, though everyone's comfort levels may be different.

“You don’t want your heater turning on all the time when no one’s at home,” he said.

Don't set your thermostat too low

Penny-pinchers may be tempted to set their thermostat at bracing levels and survive the winter by bundling up in layers or piling on blankets.

While you'd have to set your home at a pretty low temperature for it to become a health risk, Narayanamurthy warns against going below 60 degrees.

“You have to keep it really low to really get into a health concern," he said. "What you want to do is keep it at a reasonable temperature that’s not chilly.”

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.

Heating and cooling:Check out USA TODAY Homefront for more HVAC tips for your home

Space heaters can help, but use with caution

Many homeowners may be tempted to rely on fireplaces, space heaters, electric blankets and wood-burning stoves to keep warm in the winter.

According to Direct Energy, these types of secondary heating sources can help to slash costs since they offer heating to a more targeted area of your home at a fraction of the cost of cranking up the thermostat.

But many of these options come with their own safety risks and similarly require routine maintenance, care and even replacement.

Once a fire hazard, modern electric space heaters are much safer than they used to be with built-in safety features that turn the heaters off if they tip over, overheat, or have been left turned on for too long.

Ways to save on heating bills

Experts offer a variety of other tips that, altogether, could cut down on your bills and ensure your heating unit is working at maximum efficiency.

• Have your heating unit inspected annually: A heating system that's running efficiently saves money. That means the pricey cost of paying for a professional to come to your home and inspect your unit (anywhere from $150 to $500, Consumer Reports estimates) can pay off in the long run.
• Consider investing in a "smart" thermostat: Because many can connect to smartphones via mobile apps, smart thermostats provide the option for homeowners to program their thermostats while they're away from home or even set a schedule. For that reason, the average Energy Star-certified smart thermostat can save about 8% of a homeowner's annual heating and cooling bills, according to Consumer Reports.
• Check for tax incentives and rebates: Available rebates and tax credits through the Department of Energy may help pay for energy-efficient products and replace heating systems that are 15 years old or older. Funding is available for all kinds of other upgrades as well, from doors to windows, and to insulation. More information is available at energysaver.gov.

Editor's note: A version of this story was last published in November 2023.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]