Remember that people feel comfortable in temperatures that are set between 63 to 72 degrees. These temperatures are not too hot or too cold. That is the ideal indoor temperature for homes during the wintertime.
Sure! It can even be easy: live in a temperate climate. If the outside temp is always around 60F, problem solved! More seriously, design the house correctly for the climate. Good air sealing, lots of (properly installed) insulation, good quality windows (and not too many!).
But don't take it from us, take it from the World Health Organization: They recommend a temperature of at least 64°… and raising that to at least 70° if there are babies, elderly people, or otherwise immunocompromised people in the home.
If your bedroom temperature is lower than 60° F, it's too cold.
But you shouldn't run your AC if the temperature is below 60°F. Heat pumps: Modern heat pumps are effective at around 25 to 30°F. Ductless mini-splits: Avoid using the cooling function when temperatures fall below 60°F.
The ideal temperature would be around 55 to 60 degrees. This will be warm enough to keep pipes from freezing. This might seem too much for some homeowners due to the added costs in their expenses. However, a higher utility bill will still be cheaper compared to what you will spend if your pipes freeze and burst.
In general, most dogs will still be perfectly happy and safe in temperatures from 45 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. But once the temperatures get below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll need to be more cautious when your dog is outside.
Heat Index
Caution (80°F – 90°F HI); • Extreme Caution (91°F – 103°F HI); • Danger (103°F – 124°F HI); and, • Extreme Danger (126°F or higher HI).
Our bodies take time to acclimate. So, 60 degrees can feel balmy if it was 30 degrees a few weeks ago. But it can feel pretty chilly if you're coming off a recent warm spell.
How cold can a house get without heat overnight? The time of day your heater goes out impacts how long the house stays warm. Indoor temperatures go down faster at night, so if your furnace stops overnight, you can expect a quicker decline. This can be as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit before morning.
Tips for Keeping Cool During Sleep
A cool or lukewarm bath or shower can help with that, suggests Raymann. For most people, the temperature in the bedroom at night should not exceed 72 degrees Fahrenheit, and it should be even lower for people that sleep best in a cool bedroom.
Everyone is different, and that's definitely true when it comes to ideal room temperature. That being said, the average room temperature in most homes falls somewhere between 68 and 76°F. (Interested in learning more about home automation and how it could benefit your family? You can learn more here.)
The general recommendation here is to not allow the house to go below 55 to avoid the possibility of pipes freezing. Likely you can go lower before the pipes freeze but I won't risk it. With the above being said we keep our house at 68 during the day and 64 at night in the winter.
There may be drafts and pockets of colder air near the floor; The walls are colder and don't emit the usual amount of infrared radiation, so you lose heat due to your body emitting more IR than it receives; You may spend more time indoors and hence have less physical activity, so your body generates less heat.
Small cats, thin-coated cats, and older and young cats can't tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Other cats with significant weight loss or diseases such as arthritis may be significantly uncomfortable at cold temperatures, even if the temperature only drops below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
While broad generalizations are difficult, cold should not become a problem for most dogs until the temperature falls below 45 F, at which point some cold-averse dogs might begin to feel uncomfortable.
Do Pets Need Blankets? Pets who are older or young and growing, with less muscle mass to keep them warm, might benefit from a blanket while being supervised. Pets who have anxiety might benefit from using a blanket for comfort's sake. Not all pets need a blanket for warmth and comfort.
Recommended Temperature When You Are Home
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends setting your thermostat no lower than 64 degrees (F) in the Winter months while people are in the home. If there are infants or elderly individuals, they recommend keeping the temperature at 70 degrees at a minimum.
Experts typically recommend maintaining an indoor temperature of at least 60°F to ensure both comfort and safety. Temperatures below this threshold can create risks for your health and home.
The best winter thermostat setting is 62 to 68 degrees. On winter days, program your home's thermostat to 68 degrees for a comfortable indoor temperature while you're home and awake. When sleeping, program your thermostat to 62 degrees. Consider rolling this temperature back to 55 degrees when no one is home.
What Temperature Will Cause My Pipes to Freeze? Pipes run the risk of freezing at temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, especially if they're not insulated, but most insulated pipes start to freeze at 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
The U.S. government Department of Energy (DOE) states that people should set their thermostats to 68 degrees F. This is the optimal temperature for keeping a home comfortable.
Don't turn your thermostat down below 65 degrees during extreme cold. Further drops in temperature could be enough to cause a problem, especially inside walls where pipes are located. Your heating bill may go up a little, but that's better than an expensive repair job if a pipe freezes and bursts.