What Temperature Should Your House Be?

Our main objective here is to help you save money and energy without sacrificing comfort.

We know it can be challenging if there are several people in a household, and each is trying to set her preferred settings. In this guide, we’ll tell you all you need to know about household temperatures.

Hopefully, you’ll get to listen to what the experts have to say about the ideal home temperature settings. This new information should enable you to arrive at a logical compromise that will serve most parties.

Temperature settings and savings

Did you know that by adjusting your thermostat settings, you can save up to 10% of your annual electricity bill? You don’t even have to do much. A few degrees are enough. Usually, between 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit up or down, depending on the season.

We know it sounds tiresome having to adjust your temperatures daily, seven days a week. Don’t worry. This is where programmable thermostats come into play. Not only do they make life easier, but they also offer more money-saving opportunities.

Types of thermostats

Thermostats are your best friends as far as temperature regulation is concerned. The right one will massively dictate the overall experience.

There are two main types of household thermostats:

• Manual thermostats
• Programmable/smart thermostats

Manual thermostats

Just as the name suggests, these thermostats require constant human input. The setting won’t change unless you manually adjust to your desired temperatures. As you might have guessed, this can be irritatingly inconvenient.

That being said, they aren’t inherently evil. In fact, manual thermostats are more common than you think. They are easier to replace and relatively cheaper than smart thermostats. On top of that, they are user-friendly for those who aren’t tech-savvy.

Programmable/smart thermostats

You can program smart thermostats to follow specific schedules. That way, you’ll not have to manually change the setting every morning or evening. Some can even detect the room’s temperature and adjust accordingly. On top of that, they are a must-have if you are serious about saving on heating and cooling costs. There are several models available in the market. However, the 7-day models are the most flexible. You can have up to 4 different temperature programs per day for each day of the week.

What are the ideal locations for thermostats?

A bad location will massively hinder your thermostat’s efficiency. Ideally, you want your thermostats to be at the centre of your rooms. Specifically, they should be on the innermost interior walls. Nonetheless, they should also be in the most frequently occupied rooms like living rooms and bedrooms.

Generally, you should not install thermostats in locations close to “unnatural” heat sources.

Below are some of the locations you should avoid:

• Locations open to direct sunlight. Direct heat from the sun will mess with your thermostat’s readings.
• Above air vents.
• In the kitchen. Depending on the activities, the thermostat will be exposed to “unnatural” heat.
• In the hallways.

What is the ideal indoor temperature?

We’re going to assume you are asking for the most ideal and energy-saving indoor temperature. According to Energystar.gov, the ideal indoor temperature is somewhere between 70 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, you’ll have to play around with the settings to discover your preferred conditions.

Additionally, experts advise homeowners to adopt the habit of turning the temperatures up or down by 8 degrees when leaving their houses. That habit will exponentially help reduce your heating and cooling costs.

What is the ideal temperature setting for sleeping?

We’re not going to lie. This one is a bit tricky. Nonetheless, sleeping experts have recommended 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Do it well, and you might even get better sleep because of it. Temperatures that are too cold or hot will offset your body’s temperature and give you a hard time through the night.

It’s tricky because our body temperatures tend to drop when we’re sleeping. On top of that, different humans have varying body temperatures. During the night, some will prefer sleeping in arctic-like conditions, and others will prefer desert-like temperatures.

If you’re sleeping with someone in the same room, you’ll have to work with the experts’ recommended range. Therefore, you’ll have to comprise and agree on a setting that is “average” and tolerable for both of you. Good luck with that!

What is the ideal thermostat setting for infants/babies?

Just like you, your baby has personal preferences depending on age, health, and mood. We know it can be challenging, especially if your baby is too young to communicate its preference. Nonetheless, experts advise you against temperatures below 65 degrees Fahrenheit or above 74 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is the ideal thermostat setting for the winter?

According to expert research, 68 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal home temperature for the winter. Popular Science found the data to be agreeable and at peace with the majority. Nonetheless, that is the recommended temperature when you are awake. Energy.gov advises you to lower the temperatures by 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit when going to bed. Not only is it more comfortable, but it will also help reduce your heating bill by 5 to 15%. To help accomplish this, you can wear layered clothing to keep warm during the cooler night temperatures.

What is the ideal thermostat setting for the summer?

78 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal home temperature for the summer.

Most homeowners pay noticeably high electricity bills during the summers. We know it can be very frustrating. Don’t worry. We’ll give you some tips that will save you some cash.

First, you can start by turning off your cooling system whenever you leave your house for long periods. It makes no sense to cool an empty house unless you have a good reason to do so. A really good one.

With programmable thermostats, the experience is much easier. You can turn on your cooling system a few minutes before you arrive, so you don’t find yourself in an oven.

It has also come to our attention that homeowners try to cool their houses faster by setting a much colder setting than usual. We’re sorry to break it to you, but it does nothing for your house besides increasing your expenses.

A much cooler setting might lower your indoor temperatures far below the comfortable point. Not only is that a waste of energy, but you might also have to turn on your heater to get that optimal condition.

What is the ideal thermostat setting for an empty house?

So far, we’ve been advising you to turn down or up your thermostat settings whenever you are leaving your house for long periods. Indeed, it’s true that it helps save on heating and cooling costs. However, there are many factors you’ll have to consider.

For starters, the steep drop or rise in temperature might affect your plants, pets, or other technology that might be at risk of overheating or freezing. This is particularly true for those living in climates with extremely hot or cold weather patterns.

Don’t worry. We’ll discuss the specifics in the sections below.

Nevertheless, you might be wondering, “Won’t turning off my heating and cooling system make it work harder the next time I turn it on?”

No. That’s a myth. According to the Department of Energy, the habit won’t affect your system’s efficiency. It will work the same amount to bring your indoor temperature back to normal (before you left the house).

What is the ideal indoor temperature for house plants?

60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature range for most houseplants. Of course, the requirements might be difficult if you have one of those rare and climate-dependent plants. To be on the safe side, we advise you to research more.

For most plants, you’re advised not to go below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or above 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

What is the ideal thermostat setting for pets?

Just like humans, different pets have different base body temperatures. Fortunately, their internal and external heating and cooling systems are more efficient than ours. For example, dogs have fur to help them heat up, and they pant to cool down.

That being said, pet experts advise homeowners with pets to have their indoor temperatures somewhere between 64 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Of course, this won’t apply to all pets, especially if you have “unconventional” ones like amphibians, reptiles, or arachnids. As always, we advise you to research more the issue.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, there is a cut and dry answer for the best indoor temperatures for a house. You’ll have to play around with the settings until you find your “sweet spot.”

If there are many of you in the household, you’ll all have to compromise and agree on a tolerable thermostat setting. Of course, you should take note of expert opinions.

Do you need expert-advise on heating and cooling systems? Contact us today! We are here for you.