Senior News Line: Don’t touch the thermostat

By the time you read this, many of us in cold-weather areas will be listening for — and dreading — the click sound that heralds the arrival of warm air through the furnace vents.

The dread comes in when we mentally calculate just how much it’s costing us to stay warm.

The temptation, always, is to set the thermostat at a lower temperature and cut costs. However, for seniors this can be dangerous.

We’re no longer physically equipped to handle cold and are vulnerable to hypothermia if the temperature is too low. If you already have a preexisting condition, your risks are even higher.

The National Institute on Aging suggests that we don’t set our indoor temperature to lower than 68 to 70 degrees. And the math doesn’t really support lowering the temperature too much.

Rule of thumb is that for every degree you lower the temperature, you can save 1% to 3% on your costs. If your monthly bill is $100, that means you can potentially save $1 to $3 on your costs.

If you’re gone for the day, they say that if you lower your thermostat by seven to 10 degrees for an eight-hour day, you can save 10% on your bill.

But when you come home it’s going to be very cold inside and take hours to warm up to your normal temperature, with the furnace running every minute.

Ways to stay warm:

• Investing in the clear plastic film that covers windows on the inside can block a lot of cold air that blows in through even the most modern windows. Experts say this can save 10% to 30% on your heating bill. Based on my experiences, I believe this.

• Open the curtains on the sunny side of the house to let the sun in during the day. Have an annual inspection of your furnace to keep it running well.

• And put on an insulated vest. You’ll be surprised how much warmer you’ll feel.