Although you want to enjoy comfort and energy efficiency in the summer and winter, keep in mind that too little or too much heat will cause health problems and damage your property. The ideal home temperature varies from one household to another. Here’s more on how you can avoid unhealthy heat in your home.
What’s the Ideal Home Temperature?
If you want to keep cool while saving energy in the summer, set your thermostat to 72 degrees when you’re home. Whenever you’re not at home or are asleep, consider increasing the temperature to between 78 and 80 degrees for even further savings. It’s advisable to keep your home below 80 degrees throughout the summer. A house that’s too warm can be dangerous to people, pets, and the soft surfaces in your home.
Set the winter temperature to 68 degrees when you’re awake and 62 degrees when you’re sleeping. You can decrease the indoor temperature to 55 degrees when there’s nobody home. Avoid reducing the temperature below 55 degrees in the winter, as that could cause problems like frozen pipes.
Important Considerations to Avoid Unhealthy Heat
Does your home have pets, chronically ill or elderly individuals, or a baby? You’ll need to consider their needs while programming your thermostat.
Your cats and dogs will thrive when the indoor temperatures are 69 to 78 degrees throughout the year. However, you can lower the temperature to 60 degrees or increase it to 80 degrees when away from home. Birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians need more consistent and warmer temperatures than dogs and cats. You can learn more about the safe temperatures for your furry, scaly, or feathery family members from your vet.
It’s challenging for babies and chronically ill or elderly individuals to regulate body temperature. The best nursery temperature to keep a baby healthy and comfortable is between 68 and 72 degrees. For chronically ill or elderly individuals, the ideal home temperature ranges from 68 to 74 degrees. Anything outside that range is unhealthy heat.
Besides maintaining the ideal home temperature for your household, upgrading your HVAC unit and thermostat and having the HVAC system serviced will give you more control over comfort and energy efficiency and help you avoid unhealthy heat. For any heating and cooling services in the Dayton area, contact the HVAC experts at Ace Hardware Home Services.
FAQs
It's advisable to keep your home below 80 degrees throughout the summer. A house that's too warm can be dangerous to people, pets, and the soft surfaces in your home. Set the winter temperature to 68 degrees when you're awake and 62 degrees when you're sleeping.
How do you know if your home thermostat is bad? ›
A bad thermostat can be detected when your AC or furnace is not turning on, your HVAC systems are not turning off, the thermostat not responding, your HVAC system is short-cycling, the room temperature not matching the temperature displayed on the thermostat, and the programmed setting resetting themselves.
Why is my AC set at 75 but reads 77? ›
Clean the Thermostat
A dirt coating around the inner components may create excess heat and cause the thermostat to give the wrong readings. To clean the thermostat, remove the faceplate and use a clean, soft brush to gently wipe away the dirt.
Why does my thermostat setting not match my home's temperature? ›
Dirty or worn flame sensors, blower motor problems, clogs in the condensate lines, and electrical issues are some of the many problems that can leave your HVAC system failing to deliver the temperatures you've programmed in your thermostat.
Is 74 too hot for a house in winter? ›
To achieve optimal comfort, it is recommended for homeowners to set their thermostats between 68 to 72 degrees while there are people inside of the home.
What is an unsafe indoor temperature? ›
In general, it's safe to increase indoor temperature up to 80 degrees in summer and decrease indoor air temperature to 55 degrees in winter, but there are exceptions - for example, if you live with a baby or an elderly or immune-compromised individual.
Is 72 too low for AC? ›
Best Temperature Settings for Air Conditioners During Summer. When setting your thermostat, most homeowners find 72 is a good temperature for air conditioning. However, you may need to adjust that setting based on weather conditions.
Why is my AC set to 74 but reads 78? ›
If a digital thermostat is reading a higher temperature than the set temperature, the fault might be in the setting of the digital thermostat. If the temperature is set to 74°F but the thermometer shows 78°F, you will have to recalibrate the thermostat to account for this 4-degree deviation.
Is 82 too high for AC? ›
It is recommended to set your air conditioner at 78 degrees when you're home and awake. If you leave your home, Energy Star also recommends setting your unit to 85 degrees. When you're asleep, set it at 82 degrees.
Why does my house feel hotter than the thermostat setting? ›
Your HVAC system isn't sized properly
Another problem that can cause your house to be hotter than what you've set the thermostat to is if your home's HVAC system isn't sized properly. An HVAC system that's too large for your house will cool your home unevenly.
Your house and attic insulation can wear down over time. Your house also may have hidden attics that aren't properly insulated or uninsulated garage walls that are attached to your home, and this can cause problems with heat escape, unwanted airflow, and drafts. Your ductwork has problems.
Why does my house feel cold at 73? ›
Your house may not be heating up due to several reasons: a malfunctioning thermostat, issues with your heating system, blocked air filters, or inadequate insulation. It's important to check these components to identify and resolve the problem. Let's dive into each of these potential issues to see which one is yours.
What temp should my house be if it's 100 outside? ›
When outside temperatures are pushing 100 degrees, try setting your thermostat at 78-80 degrees. Supplement the indoor airflow with fans and other strategies to maintain cool temperatures inside.
What indoor temperature is too hot for humans? ›
Researchers investigated when the body starts exerting more energy to keep itself cool at high temperatures. They found that this upper-temperature limit lies between 40℃ (104F) and 50℃ (122F) when the human body stops functioning optimally.
At what temperature is a house too cold? ›
What Temperature is Too Cold for a House? While everyone has a different tolerance to cold, ideal winter heat settings should generally be at or above 63 °F (17 °C). Excessive cold (anything below 62 °F or 16 °C) in your home can actually raise your blood pressure as your blood “thickens” in the chilly temperatures.
