turning thermostat up down to save on heating coast

E. Blais

will i save on heating bills if i turn down the temp at night and up in the morning.I have a steam system,and was told that I may use more oil to heat the house by turning the thermostat up/down rather than leaving it at one set temperature. Is this correct? thank you

Bill W@Honeywell

This is one of the most common requests I get...

The answer is maybe. Steam systems have a pronounced flywheel effect, meaning that they take a while to build up and release heat. Deep setbacks with steam systems are not recommended. Your house is a system, and the insulation, windows, solar gain, wind loss etc all have an effect on how fast it gains or loses heat. In general, a 5 degree setback at night or during the day when the house is empty is a good starting place. The thermostat is also not the only control on a steam system; you also have a pressure controller that will shut down the burner once it's setpoint is reached, even if the thermostat may not be satisfied yet. Again, a steam system responds slowly and evenly to calls for heat, not on-off like scorched air.