New Household Temp Guidelines

[Searc]

We replaced our furnace and central air unit last fall and our new c/a unit is 20 years newer and much more efficient, so we can keep it a bit warmer in the house without sacrificing comfort. We've been setting it at 77 these last few months and that is plenty comfortable during the day, even for me, who is always warm.

Our furnace we were able to keep at 68 for the winter. When I was growing up, our furnace got turned down into the 50's at night because that was all we could afford. I refuse to do that and our temp remains steady throughout the day/night, no matter time of year.*

*exceptions are when we will be gone for an overnight or longer. Then it is adjusted.

 

[Searc]

Here in NE FL, I keep the house at 74 during the summer. I go up to 75 (because 74 is freaking cold in my house) but any higher and it's like a wet sauna.

In the winter, I set the thermostat to 67-68, but it doesn't seem as cold at 68 in winter as it does at 74 in summer. LOL

ETA: we have ceiling fans in every bedroom and the living room. We run them 24/7 (even in winter; we just flip the them so the fans move the air up in winter, down in summer). I find the heating/cooling system doesn't have to work as hard if all the doors are open and the ceiling fans are on. We only shut the bedroom doors at night.

All of our doors are open, too and I run the ceiling fans in the bedrooms to help circulate the air.

 

[larissawbb]

Ours is set at 68 all of the time year round. I never change it.

 

[disykat]

What really floors me is that the people who "insist" that they need the thermostat lower than 70 in the summer, also insist it needs to be at least 75 in the winter. Makes no sense whatsoever.

This always confused me as well. I can't wear sweaters in the winter because people keep the temps so high. Then in the summer when I'm dressed for warm weather sometimes it's too cold inside. In general I think 72- 74 indoors is comfortable in summer clothes or bedding (with some fan air movement too) and around 68 - 69 inside is comfortable in winter clothes and turning it down to 64 at night for winter bedding. The people who like it the same temp year round - do they wear similar clothes year round?

 

[cedricandsophie]

In the summer we sleep at 65 minimum. We have an old house so only air conditioning is in bedrooms. During the day it can be brutal especially on the second floor. The bedrooms are a relief.

If we are in a hotel we keep it as low as possible. And have called maintenance to get it lower.

In winter we kerp the house at 60 at night and sleep with windows open. During the day we never get above 68.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm having flashbacks to Jimmy Carter wearing his sweater around the white house.

I'm just going to say that nobody should get between a menopausal woman and her thermostat.

 

[dclpluto]

I get a letter every month from my electric company saying I’m using more electric than other houses the same size in my area. I don’t care I’m going to set the temp where I want it what is good for the family.

 

[PollyannaMom]

It's funny this just came out, because I thought I read something only a week or two ago that 65-68 degrees produces the best quality sleep?

I have solar panels on my house, though, so no guilt about running my AC. However, I am puzzled by folks who keep the same temp all year (or worse, buildings that seem colder in the summer than in the winter). I want my house a little cooler when I'm wearing warm clothes than when I'm wearing shorts, and a little cooler at night than during the day.

Either way, though, I cannot sleep at 82! (Honestly, if they want people to actually change, they shouldn't ask for the moon!)

 

[EveDallas]

No way in this world could I do that. Daytime temps hover around 73-74, bedtime is 68.

 

[RamblingMad]

It's funny this just came out, because I thought I read something only a week or two ago that 65-68 degrees produces the best quality sleep?

I have solar panels on my house, though, so no guilt about running my AC. However, I am puzzled by folks who keep the same temp all year (or worse, buildings that seem colder in the summer than in the winter). I want my house a little cooler when I'm wearing warm clothes than when I'm wearing shorts, and a little cooler at night than during the day.

Either way, though, I cannot sleep at 82! (Honestly, if they want people to actually change, they shouldn't ask for the moon!)

This is all about energy and the environment. This has nothing to do with sleeping well.

Just be glad you don’t live in parts of Europe, where folks don’t have AC.

 

[auntfrannie]

Evidently this wasn't proposed by anyone that has ever been through hot flashes!

 

[John VN]

HAHAHAHA. Not in South Florida.

We sleep at 75* and keep it at 76* during the day. I think that's pretty warm for a South Florida home.

I keep my temps at the same. Too much humidity.

Keeping it at 80 is much easier in lower humid weather.

I live in Fl and I do almost the exact opposite lol. I keep my house at 81/82 during the day because I'm the only one home and I enjoy the warmth. At night for sleep we have it at 76 because it's just hard to sleep when it is too warm.

Cape Haze Peninsula, SW FL. and 82°F/83°F during day when home 85°F when away with 79°F at night and if I really want to freeze then 78°F sleeping under sheet and electric blanket that's NOT TURNED ON, but, DW always sleeps with blanket on and comforter on top of it.