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What to keep your thermostat at this fall as temperatures drop

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Cite

Musto, J. (2026, October 23). What to keep your thermostat at this fall as temperatures drop. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/thermostat-temperatures-drop-winter-season-b3071938.html

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The Independent · collected 2026-10-23 · by Julia Musto

Quick Summary

Experts recommend setting thermostats to around 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) during the fall to maintain comfort while conserving energy. HVAC expert Kim Lincoln advises making modest adjustments when sleeping or away from home, emphasizing a balance for transitional weather. Mike Naughton and Joe Haycock suggest slightly warmer settings in regions like Texas or Florida where temperatures fluctuate more, recommending 70 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The Department of Energy notes that turning the thermostat down by seven to ten degrees for eight hours can save up to 10% annually on heating costs.
Written by AI on 2026-10-23, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

As fall temperatures drop, HVAC expert Kim Lincoln advises setting thermostats near 68°F (20°C) when heating is needed, according to a recent article by The Independent World on October 23, 2026. She recommends making modest adjustments while sleeping or away and letting comfort guide temperature settings during the transitional season. Mike Naughton, founder of Integrity Energy, earlier suggested starting at 68°F in cooler climates and lowering it slightly when not home to save energy. Both experts emphasize balancing indoor comfort with energy efficiency as temperatures decrease.

Written for “Fall Thermostat Settings Advice” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Fall Thermostat Settings Advice
Other · 1 article(s) covering the same event.

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Claims extracted
19
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
5%
1 of 19 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
59/100
The Independent's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Other
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-23 · how these are computed

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Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

The Independent · 3661 article(s) · 10 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 10 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Julia Musto
41 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
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Also by Julia Musto
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Topics

Florida Independent Integrity Energy Real Simple Texas

Subjects

Martha Stewart PERSON · 2× Arizona GPE · 1× Florida GPE · 1× Georgia GPE · 1× Independent NORP · 1× Integrity Energy ORG · 1× Kim Lincoln PERSON · 1× Mike Naughton PERSON · 1× Real Simple ORG · 1× Texas GPE · 1×

Narrative

“I recommend setting the thermostat near 68 degrees Fahrenheit [(20 degrees Celsius)] when heating is needed, making modest adjustments when sleeping or away, and letting indoor comfort and humidity guide you,” HVAC expert Kim Lincoln told Real Simple on Wednesday.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-23
🔮 So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature,” the department says.
2026-10-23 · The Independent
What to keep your thermostat at this fall as temperatures drop · assertive framing

Claims (19 extracted, 1 hedged)

It’s finally fall and, as the days grow colder, the need to turn on the heat rises. asserted
need → ’ → heat
But what’s the right temperature to set your thermostat at for the season? asserted
temperature → ’ → season
Experts now reveal that answer. asserted
Experts → reveal → answer
“I recommend setting the thermostat near 68 degrees Fahrenheit [(20 degrees Celsius)] when heating is needed, making modest adjustments when sleeping or away, and letting indoor comfort and humidity guide you,” HVAC expert Kim Lincoln told Real Simple on Wednesday. asserted
Lincoln → set → Wednesday
“Fall is a transition season, so the goal is to find a comfortable setting without constantly making dramatic changes to the thermostat,” she said. asserted
she → find → thermostat
Setting the thermostat at 68 degrees when at home helps the most in cooler climates and is a good starting point, Mike Naughton, founder and CEO of Integrity Energy, told Martha Stewart earlier this month. asserted
Naughton → set → Stewart
“At night, or when you’re away for an extended period, you can lower the temperature a few degrees to save energy while keeping the home comfortable,” he advised. asserted
he → ’re → home
Sleeping in colder temperatures has also been shown to aid sleep. asserted
Sleeping → sleep → sleep
Of course, one temperature doesn’t fit all. asserted
temperature → fit → all
Fall temperatures can vary depending on where you live. asserted
you → vary → ?
The South is typically warmer than the Northeast and Midwest when there’s not a storm system or cold air mass lingering over the region. asserted
South → ’ → region
“In places such as Texas, Florida, Arizona, or Georgia, where fall temperatures can stay high and vary more during the day, I’d set the thermostat between 70 to 78 degrees,” Joe Haycock, president of Fresh Air Concepts, LLC, also told Martha Stewart. asserted
Haycock → stay → Stewart
“The greater the temperature fluctuations, the more flexibility you need in your thermostat settings to prevent unnecessary energy consumption and reduce wear on the equipment,” he said. asserted
he → need → equipment
Residents can save as much as 10 percent a year on heating and cooling by turning the thermostat back seven to 10 degrees for eight hours a day, according to the Department of Energy. uncertain
Residents → save → Energy
It’s a misconception that a furnace works harder than normal to warm the space back to a comfortable temperature. asserted
furnace → ’ → temperature
So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more energy you save, because your house has lost less energy than it would have at the higher temperature,” the department says. asserted
department → remain → temperature
Of course there are ways to stay warm when the heat is off, too. asserted
heat → be → ?
Keeping your feet in fluffy socks and layering up clothing can keep you warm. asserted
Keeping → keep → you
Holding a warm water bottle or sitting by an electric heater can help, too. asserted
Holding → hold → heater
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