Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
What's the lowest temperature the thermostat should be to prevent pipes from freezing? If we leave town, the lowest we put it is 50 degrees. With the cost of heating going up, should we go any lower?
When I rented in my 20s, I never thought about this stuff and would often have the heat completely off. Luckily the pipes never froze while I rented.
It really depends where the pipe is located. Are the ones most exposed to cold in a temperature controlled area? 50 is well above 32 so you’re okay there. The pipes most exposed to cold should be shut off, drained, and the faucet left half open. If they can’t be shut off, you can put some insulation around the pipes and open the faucet so that there’s a slow drip.
Is it really worth the risk of potentially thousands in damage to your home versus spending a little to keep the heat on when you're away, even if it is a bit higher than necessary, so you don't have to even chance a frozen pipe issue?
Is it really worth the risk of potentially thousands in damage to your home versus spending a little to keep the heat on when you're away, even if it is a bit higher than necessary, so you don't have to even chance a frozen pipe issue?
I am keeping the heat on, just wondering what temperature to use.
It really depends where the pipe is located. Are the ones most exposed to cold in a temperature controlled area? 50 is well above 32 so you’re okay there. The pipes most exposed to cold should be shut off, drained, and the faucet left half open. If they can’t be shut off, you can put some insulation around the pipes and open the faucet so that there’s a slow drip.
If you leave town, shut off the main line.
Totally agree with this location dependency - temperature inside the wall is usually not the same as the temperature in the room, plus, different rooms may have different temperatures inside them, if the pipes are in an outside wall, facing the prevailing wind, in a room with undersized registers/radiators (worst case) - that wall will likely be quite a different temperature than an interior wall in a well heated room.
What's the lowest temperature the thermostat should be to prevent pipes from freezing? If we leave town, the lowest we put it is 50 degrees. With the cost of heating going up, should we go any lower?
When I rented in my 20s, I never thought about this stuff and would often have the heat completely off. Luckily the pipes never froze while I rented.
I think the only way I’d go lower is with good remote monitoring near crucial points. If you’re handy with electronics that can be done cheaply or commercial solutions are available for a little bit more.
I’m probably weird in liking my house to get to 50 at night when I’m at home because I sleep better in the cold. In grad school I lived in an apartment with heat only in the room with plumbing, so my room would get below freezing in the winter. That was too cold even for me.
If we're talking about a gas furnace here, I'm pretty sure most manufacturers recommend not setting the thermostat any lower than 55-60°F.
At temperatures lower than this the flue gas can cool down too much before it exits the heat exchanger, which can cause acidic moisture to condense out of the flue gas, which can rot out the heat exchanger and ruin your furnace.
Even if you have a condensing furnace, only the secondary heat exchanger is designed to handle this acidic condensate. If the condensing starts happening in the primary heat exchanger too, you will have problems.
Same thing with most boilers. If the water temperature is too low and/or run times are too short, excessive condensation can occur, which isn't good.
I am keeping the heat on, just wondering what temperature to use.
I always thought it was 55. You can also weather proof the house to save money.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
