Turn Down the Temp, But Don't Let Your Pipes Freeze!

You often hear about how you should turn down the thermostat to save energy, and there are many helpful ideas on the subject.

Be careful not to turn the thermostat down too low during the winter while you are away from your home.

Remember, your pipes are vulnerable, frozen pipes are a pain, and you should always consider how your house is built before you make any drastic decisions on how to heat your home in the winter.

Frozen pipes are a big deal. If the water in your pipes starts freezing, you run the risk of that pipe exploding—and goodness knows that's not what most people are hoping to do when they're trying to save energy in the dead of winter.    Setting your thermostat really depends on where you live, where your pipes are, and how well insulated those pipes are.

Unless you live in a place where it never gets below freezing (you lucky people, you), you'll need to know some things about your house or apartment: Some water pipes will be in the "warm" parts of your house. This is why you don't want the temperature inside your house to drop too low, because bathroom and kitchen pipes are generally not insulated, and they rely on whatever system you're using to heat the rest of your house to keep warm.

With ever changing temperatures in the Washington, DC area, keep an eye on your thermostat and avoid any problems with your pipes!

These excerpts are provided through a Department of Energy blog at http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/turn-down-temp-dont-let-your-pipes-freeze