As far as the normal hours of the day when everyone is awake and active in the home, we do recommend the WHO's guideline of 64 degrees (F) as a minimum. Being in a house for long periods of time that is constantly chilly can have negative health effects.
DURING freezing weather:
If you plan to be away from home for several days, shutting off the water can reduce the chances of broken pipes. Set your home heat to at least 55 degrees. Shut off water to the house and open all faucets to drain pipes; flush the toilet once to drain the tank, but not the bowl.
Add insulation – especially around pipes.
Adding insulation to the attic, walls or floors can make a big difference in winter (conserving heat) and summer (keeping the cool air in). Insulation helps with home efficiency as well as protection plumbing pipes.
“Most freezers do have a lower limit of around -10°F (-23°C).” Being extra cold may only mean it takes longer for your ice cream to soften up. Fink adds that “a freezer set below 0°F (-18°C) will not make food unsafe to eat [or harm your food], though it may raise your energy bill due to using extra power.”
With freezing, the temperature is decreased slowly, usually up to 24 hours. Deep freezing does the same in a much quicker time frame – typically, within an hour. Here we explore the advantages and disadvantages of these two preservation techniques.
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.
Your pipes are at risk of freezing any time temperatures drop below 32°F. However, it's much more common for pipes to freeze when temperatures dip below 20°F. The longer the weather remains below freezing, the more likely it is your pipes can freeze if not properly protected and winterized.
Sleeping too hot
“Heat is a huge disruptor for REM sleep,” Dr. Drerup says. With the heat of the room, your body temperature will also rise, thus undoing the sleep initiation process entirely. If your bedroom temperature is above 70° F, it's too hot.
Open your attic trap door to help keep the temperature in your attic the same as in the rest of the house and prevent pipes freezing.
Pipes that freeze most frequently are: Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
Prepare Your Home : Keep trees and branches trimmed near your house. If you have time before severe weather hits, secure loose objects, close windows and doors, and move any valuable objects inside or under a sturdy structure. Help Your Neighbor: Encourage your loved ones to prepare for severe thunderstorms.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that your refrigerator temperature should be at or below 40°F, and your freezer temperature at or below 0°F. However, the ideal refrigerator temperature is actually lower. Aim to stay between 35° and 38°F (or 1.7 to 3.3°C).
Deep Freeze Icons
The Frozen or Thawed Deep Freeze icon appears in the System Tray after installation and indicates whether the computer is currently protected by Deep Freeze (Frozen) or unprotected (Thawed).
With a temperature of 0 degrees F and a wind speed of 15 mph (which yields a windchill temperature of –19 degrees F), exposed skin can freeze in as little as 30 minutes, the NWS also notes.
Properly insulate your windows and doors to prevent cold air from entering your home. Weatherstripping and caulking your home is the most effective way to keep the cold air out. You can also use tape, plastic wrap and towels to seal your windows and doors. Folded newspaper also helps seal door gaps.
Shut off and drain your water system if you are leaving home for several days. (Turn off the water heater before draining the system). Leaving your heater on a low setting while you are gone helps, but may not prevent freezing.
Even after shutting off the main valve, water remains in the pipes and can freeze. You can find this residual water in the bends and low points of your plumbing system, which are particularly prone to freezing. Small amounts of trapped water can quickly turn into ice when temperatures drop.
Overall, it's best that you take heed and drip your faucets when temperatures dip below freezing. A simple trickle of hot and/or cold water—both from faucets inside and outside the home—can prevent you from having to deal with a much larger issue (and bill!) in the long run.