Loading NuWatt Energy...
We use your location to provide localized solar offers and incentives.
We serve MA, NH, CT, RI, ME, VT, NJ, PA, and TX
Loading NuWatt Energy...
The wrong thermostat setting can triple your electric bill. At RI Energy's $0.29/kWh, aux heat costs $15–$30 per recovery event. Learn the set-and-forget temperatures that keep you comfortable without surprise bills.
Gas furnaces can recover from a 10-degree setback in 15 minutes. Heat pumps are different. They deliver steady, efficient warmth — but they cannot sprint. When you ask your heat pump to raise the temperature quickly, it calls on auxiliary electric resistance heat strips that cost 3x more to operate.
Rhode Island Energy charges $0.29/kWh — among the highest in the nation. In states with $0.12/kWh rates, thermostat mistakes cost $50 extra per month. In RI, the same mistake costs $150+ extra per month. Getting your settings right is not optional here.
These settings are optimized for Rhode Island's climate (IECC Zone 5A). Average winter lows of 20–25°F, summer highs of 80–85°F, and high coastal humidity.
Home / Occupied
68°F
Away / Unoccupied
62°F
Sleep
66°F
Never drop more than 2-3°F at a time. Large setbacks trigger aux heat.
Home / Occupied
76°F
Away / Unoccupied
82°F
Sleep
74°F
Heat pumps are extremely efficient in cooling mode. RI summers rarely exceed 90°F.
Home / Occupied
70°F
Away / Unoccupied
Off
Sleep
68°F
Open windows when possible. Heat pumps handle mild temps with minimal energy.
With gas furnaces, programmable setbacks of 10°F saved money because gas burners recover quickly. Heat pumps are the opposite — they excel at maintaining a steady temperature. Here is how the math works at Rhode Island Energy rates:
| Setback Amount | Recovery Method | Recovery Time | Cost Per Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2°F (68 → 66) | Heat pump only | 30–45 min | $0.50–$0.80 |
| 5°F (68 → 63) | Heat pump + some aux | 1–2 hours | $3–$8 |
| 10°F (68 → 58) | Heavy aux heat | 2–4 hours | $15–$30 |
| 15°F (70 → 55) | Mostly aux heat | 3–6 hours | $25–$45 |
Most heat pump thermostats have a “Smart Recovery” or “Adaptive Recovery” feature. This starts warming your home 1–2 hours before your scheduled wake time, using only the heat pump. Enable this setting and your home reaches 68°F at 6:00 AM without ever triggering aux heat — it just starts at 4:30 AM instead.
These are the most common thermostat mistakes we see in Rhode Island homes. Each one silently adds $50–$300/month to your electric bill.
The Problem
Dropping heat to 55°F overnight and cranking to 70°F in the morning
RI Cost Impact
$15-$30 per event at $0.29/kWh
The Fix
Keep setbacks to 2-3°F maximum. Heat pumps recover slowly by design.
The Problem
Setting heat to 72°F and cool to 71°F causes constant mode switching
RI Cost Impact
$5-$10/day in wasted cycling
The Fix
Keep a 4-5°F dead band between heating and cooling set points.
The Problem
Switching to EM HEAT during a cold snap and forgetting to switch back
RI Cost Impact
$300-$600/month running pure electric resistance
The Fix
Never use EM HEAT except during actual equipment failure. The heat pump manages aux heat automatically.
The Problem
Using a gas furnace thermostat that does not have a heat pump mode
RI Cost Impact
Runs aux heat as primary, 3x normal cost
The Fix
Install a thermostat specifically designed for heat pumps with O/B terminal support.
The Problem
Thermostat tries to recover from setback in 30 minutes instead of 2 hours
RI Cost Impact
$10-$20 in aux heat per recovery
The Fix
Enable "smart recovery" or "adaptive recovery" so the thermostat ramps up gradually before your wake time.
Based on a typical 2,000 sq ft Rhode Island home with a 3-ton heat pump during January (coldest month, average high 37°F, average low 20°F). All costs at RI Energy's $0.29/kWh rate.
Aux heat usage: < 5%
$85-$120
per month
Aux heat usage: 10-15%
$100-$150
per month
Aux heat usage: 25-40%
$150-$250
per month
Aux heat usage: 100%
$350-$600
per month
Not all smart thermostats are heat pump compatible. These models have dedicated heat pump algorithms that prevent unnecessary aux heat and maximize efficiency. RI Energy offers $50 rebates on qualifying ENERGY STAR models.
$250
Heat Pump Features
Built-in heat pump balance point, aux heat lockout
RI Energy: $50 instant rebate
Pros
Cons
$180
Heat Pump Features
Heat pump balance, auto aux lockout, learning schedule
RI Energy: $50 instant rebate
Pros
Cons
$200
Heat Pump Features
Dedicated heat pump mode, aux lockout temperature, installer-configurable
RI Energy: $50 instant rebate
Pros
Cons
$150
Heat Pump Features
Basic heat pump compatibility, geofencing
RI Energy: $50 instant rebate (verify eligibility)
Pros
Cons
Whether you are setting up a new thermostat or optimizing your existing one, run through this checklist. Each item can save $10–$50/month on your RI Energy bill.
This enables the O/B reversing valve terminal and aux heat staging logic.
Set to 35°F or lower. The heat pump handles most RI winter days without aux heat.
Starts warming before your scheduled time using heat pump only, no aux blast.
Prevents short cycling that damages the compressor and wastes energy.
If heat is set to 68°F, cooling should be 72°F+ to prevent mode ping-pong.
These features aggressively use aux heat. Let the heat pump work at its own pace.
Home: 68°F, Away: 66°F, Sleep: 66°F. Never larger gaps.
The EM HEAT switch should only be used during compressor failure, never as a daily setting.
Rhode Island Energy offers $50 instant rebates on ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats. Combined with the energy savings from proper heat pump settings, a smart thermostat pays for itself within 2–3 months.
$50
RI Energy instant rebate
$30–$60
Monthly savings from optimized settings
2–3 mo
Payback period
Leaving your RI home for a week in January? These settings prevent pipe freezing while minimizing energy use. The key: never turn your heat pump completely off in winter.
Set your heat pump to 68°F in winter and 76°F in summer. Never drop the temperature more than 2-3°F at a time. Large setbacks force the system to use expensive auxiliary electric resistance heat to recover, which at RI Energy's $0.29/kWh rate can cost $15-$30 per recovery event.
Only by 2°F maximum. Unlike gas furnaces, heat pumps cannot quickly recover from large temperature drops. Setting back from 68°F to 66°F is fine. Setting back to 58°F will trigger auxiliary heat at $0.29/kWh, potentially costing more than the savings from the lower temperature.
The Ecobee Premium ($250) and Google Nest Learning ($180) are the best options for RI heat pump owners. Both have heat pump-specific algorithms that prevent unnecessary aux heat use. RI Energy offers $50 rebates on qualifying ENERGY STAR smart thermostats.
The most common cause is a large thermostat setback. If you set the temperature to 60°F overnight and then 70°F in the morning, the 10°F gap triggers aux heat to recover quickly. Other causes include dirty filters, low refrigerant, or a thermostat not configured for heat pump mode.
Yes. RI Energy offers $50 instant rebates on ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats including Ecobee, Nest, and Honeywell T-series models. The rebate is applied at participating retailers. Some online purchases also qualify with a mail-in rebate form.
Auxiliary heat activates automatically when the heat pump cannot keep up — this is normal in very cold weather. Emergency heat (EM HEAT) bypasses the heat pump entirely and runs only electric resistance strips. Never use EM HEAT unless your heat pump compressor has failed. At RI rates, EM HEAT costs $350-$600/month.
Proper thermostat settings save $30–$60/month. Pair that with Clean Heat RI rebates covering 60% of system costs (max $11,500). Explore your options below.