Thermostat settings by state

Thermostat settings in Connecticut

By Ismail Farooq · Updated 2026-10-30

How most homes heat: Heating oil and natural gas, often through boilers and radiators or baseboard; ductless heat pumps are common additions.

Connecticut has cold, damp winters and warm, humid summers. Many older homes heat with an oil or gas boiler feeding radiators or hot water baseboard, and cool with window units or a separate air handler in the attic. That often means two transformers and an Rh/Rc setup at the thermostat, or two thermostats; see the dual transformer setup.

Boiler thermostats here are often two-wire, so check how you’ll power a smart thermostat before buying. Ductless mini-splits added for cooling usually come with their own remote or controller and don’t use a standard wall thermostat.

Climate zones in Connecticut

Zones follow county lines on the 2021 IECC map, and some counties changed zone between code editions. DOE’s Building America climate zone map lists every county.

Starting settings

• Everyday setpoints: about 68 °F in winter and 78 °F in summer while you’re home, set back while you sleep or are out (DOE’s guidance).
• Gas, oil or propane furnace or boiler: setbacks of 7 to 10 °F are fine; use the thermostat’s early-start feature so the house is warm on time.
• Heat pump: keep winter setbacks small (2 to 4 °F) so a cold morning doesn’t bring on aux heat.
• Cold, damp winters: if you have a humidifier, let the thermostat lower its target as it gets colder outside so windows don’t drip.

Heat pump lockouts for Connecticut

If you have a heat pump, these are starting points for the outdoor temperatures that control backup heat. Your installer’s balance point is better if you have it.

Rebates

Many utilities give rebates or bill credits for smart thermostats, sometimes in return for joining a peak-day program. Programs change often, so check your electric and gas utility’s website, or search by ZIP code in the ENERGY STAR rebate finder.