The majority of cold weather comfort issues are caused by heat escape, poor insulation, and inefficient
It is because of the temperature gradient. Basically, your thermostat is probably on an inside wall. At its central location, it feels the house to be 72, whether the heat is on or the ac is. But as you get closer to the outside walls, the temperature is going to get closer to the outside temperature.
Drier air indoors speeds up evaporation over your skin making it feel colder relative to same temperature air but with greater humidity.
One of the most common causes of a cold home despite a correctly set thermostat is poor insulation. Insulation plays a crucial role in maintaining a comfortable temperature in your home, as it helps to keep warm air inside during the winter and cool air inside during the summer.
Make sure your home is warm enough. Set your thermostat to at least 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (F). Even mildly cool homes with temperatures from 60 to 65 degrees F can lead to hypothermia in older adults. To stay warm at home, wear long underwear under your clothes, along with socks and slippers.
Risk factors
Victims of hypothermia are often: Older adults with inadequate food, clothing, or heating. Babies sleeping in cold bedrooms. People who remain outdoors for long periods—people experiencing homelessness, hikers, hunters, etc.
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.
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.
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.
A common reason for a cold house is often insufficient insulation. Insulation serves as a barrier, preventing heat from escaping and cold air from entering. In homes with inadequate insulation, this thermal barrier is compromised, resulting in heat loss and difficulty retaining warmth.
Poor circulation
Underlying arterial disease could be causing inadequate blood circulation, making it hard to maintain core body temperature, especially in your extremities. Smoking affects temperature regulation in a similar way by causing blood vessels to constrict.
A combination of factors such as humidity, sunlight, wind speed, and others can all influence how we perceive temperature. Understanding these factors can help us better prepare for and adapt to varying weather conditions, ensuring that we stay comfortable regardless of what the thermometer says.
Quick answer: The ideal house temperature is room temperature, which ranges from 68 to 78 degrees F, though this may vary from season to season. In winter, the average room temperature is generally 62 to 68 degrees, whereas in the summer, the average temperature is 72 to 78 degrees.
Your AC might not cool properly due to thermostat issues, an undersized unit, or extremely high outdoor temps—so check those first. Keep an eye on airflow—replace clogged filters every 3 months, and make sure vents and ducts aren't blocked for efficient cooling.
Why does 70 inside feel different in the winter compared to summer? There are multiple factors but the main reason is the dry air. Dry air causes evaporation of the moisture from our skin which in the process makes us feel cooler. Meanwhile humid air hinders evaporation doing the opposite.
The World Health Organization recommends a thermostat setting no lower than 68 degrees while you're home. If you have children or seniors in your house, that number increases to at least 70 degrees. If your house is too cold, it can cause problems with blood pressure and circulation, as well as affect your heart rate.
If you're cold even though your thermostat indicates you shouldn't be, your furnace likely isn't the problem. In most cases, it's working just fine. It's your home that needs attention. Lack of insulation, severe air leakage, and/or unbalanced ductwork are frequently to blame.
During the frigid cold temperatures, set your thermostat on a permanent HOLD around 70 degrees until the weather warms back up to normal temperatures for this season. When temperatures drop below zero or even below freezing for extended periods of time, sometimes your furnace can't keep up.
When deciding what temperature to set your thermostat to, avoid going below 63 degrees. Temperatures below 63 degrees Fahrenheit can cause mold and mildew growth or increase allergens.
The majority of cold weather comfort issues are caused by heat escape, poor insulation, and inefficient heating systems. But there's another problem you should know about: your thermostat.
68 to 72 degrees is a temperature range that is not too warm or cool, and is sufficient enough to warm up the home just enough so that everyone is comfortable regardless of the type of clothing they have on.
To save money, aim to have your temperature set around 68-72 degrees Fahrenheit when you're at home and awake. This is a comfortable temperature for most with the help of a light sweater. Overnight and when you're out, around 64 degrees Fahrenheit will keep your home at a good temperature.
If you want to feel good, as in comfortable, many people will want to lower their thermostat to the low 70s in summer. But if you're talking about saving money on energy and limiting your environmental impact, 70 degrees Fahrenheit is a very bad temperature for your AC to reach.