What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat in Winter? In Summer? For your cat or dog? We answer a wide range of questions about setting the optimal home temperature for a variety of circumstances. This is a very common question that people want to know for a variety of reasons. It’s also not as straightforward of an answer as you might expect as their are many variables that factor into the ideal thermostat temperature during winter. But, we aim to explore all of the various ways to answer this important question.
Programmable Thermostats
One of the things that I highly recommend is investing in an Energy Star programmable thermostat like the Nest Learning Thermostat, the ecobee Smart Thermostat (with Built-In Alexa), Emerson Sensi (1F87U-42WF), or the Honeywell (RTH9585WF1004) (WiFi). We’ll discuss these later in the article, but it’s important to note that if you don’t have a programmable thermostat, where you can set the temperature for every day of the week, for any time period you want (IE. Day and night), then you really should invest in one now.
This will make your life much easier. Let’s be honest, having to manually set the thermostat every day is not practical. I know, because when I was growing up, this is how my parents set the thermostat in the home.
Unfortunately, many people who own programmable thermostats don’t even know how to use them correctly, as written about in this article by the Washington Post.
VIDEO | How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient for Winter
The average homeowner spends over $2,000 a year on energy bills — more than 50% of that goes to heating and cooling. You can save at least $180 a year by setting your programmable thermostat in an efficient manner. (Learn More)
What Temperature Should I Set My Thermostat in Winter?
The easy answer to the question is that you should set the thermostat to whatever temperature is comfortable for you, which might range between 68°F (20° C) to 72°F (22° C). Body temperature varies among people so ultimately it will depend on your average body temperature and also if you are someone who like to wear a sweatshirt around the house or not.
Personally, I wear light pajamas’s and a t-shirt around my condo and I live alone, so for me the ideal temperature is around 74° (23.3°C). But that’s me. If you live alone, it’s easy to figure this out. I would recommend starting at 67°F (19.4° C) and see how that feels. If it’s too cold, raise it up one degree at a time, and stop when you feel comfortable.
At night, I drop my thermostat to 68°F (20° C). In general, I prefer my home to be on the warm side. And since I live alone and pay my own heating bills, I can set it the way I want. I will admit that heating a residential house is far more costly than heating a condo so if you want to save money, then it really does make sense to be smarter and more strategic with how you heat your home in the winter.
Now, for most people who have a family and have to deal with finding the right temperature for more than one person, in a variety of age groups, you know that this quickly can become a heated issue (pun intended). Everyone seems to have an opinion on the temperature. There’s a big range between kids, middle-aged people and the elderly, and everybody seems to want something different. So, how do you find the right temperature for your thermostat in winter when there are many people living in your home?
✓ Fact : Every 8°F (4.5°C) you lower your temperature saves you about 10% on your energy bill, and consequently, increasing your thermostat by 8°F (4.5°C) higher increases your energy bill by about 10 percent.
Recommended Thermostat Temperatures in Winter
Ideal thermostat temperature — Daytime — When People Are Home
I recommend a setting your thermostat to 68°F (20°C) during the day, if people are at home. This is generally a comfortable temperature for most people who wear normal clothes, like pants or pajama bottoms and a t-shirt. If someone finds it too cold then they can easily use a blanket or have them wear thicker socks around the house. You’ll be amazed at what a warm pair of socks will do for your overall comfort level. It truly does make a big difference.
Ideal thermostat temperature — Nighttime — When People Are Sleeping
I recommend a setting your thermostat to 64.4° F (18° C). It makes sense to lower the thermostat temperature since everyone will be in bed and wrapped their bed sheets. To save money, you really should drop the temperature down at least 2°C and perhaps go as low as 3°C and see what the response is from everyone in the house. I’m sure they won’t notice.
If there’s one person in the house that finds it cold at night, rather than increase the temperature for the entire house then buy them a small space heater for their bedroom. This is much cheaper than heating the entire house to please one person.
Ideal thermostat temperature — When Nobody is Home
When nobody is home there’s no need to have a warm home. So, the best thermostat temperature during the day when people are gone is 62°F (17°C). This is also the perfect temperature to prevent your pipes from freezing, which a lot of people don’t think about.
I live in a condo and this is also the minimum temperature set by the strata to prevent the pipes from freezing. So, when the house is empty because everyone is at work or at school make sure you set your thermostat to 62°F (17°C). Even when you’re on vacation this is the ideal temperature for your thermostat in winter.
Q&A – Recommended thermostat settings for summer and winter
The ideal thermostat temperature range in winter is between 68° to 76° F (20° to 24°C). The right temperature for you will depend on your circadian rhythm, natural body temperature and the clothes you’re wearing at home.
For summer, assuming you have central air conditioning, a good starting point is to set your thermostat at 78°F (26°C). Naturally, the temperature will fluctuate with the outside air temperature, a good median temperature is around 78°F. The alternative is to set your thermostat to 68°F (20°C) and keep your air conditioning on 24 hours a day. That’s always an option if you can afford the electricity costs.
Many people believe they need to keep the thermostat at one temperature 24 hours a day, but the truth is humans sleep much better at cooler temperatures, typically between 60°F to 67°F (15.5°C – 19.4°C). These numbers come from scientific studies and the reasoning makes sense. When we sleep it’s important that your room is neither too hot or to cold. Either ends of the spectrum will disrupt your natural sleep cycle, preventing you from getting proper REM sleep.
The reason why a cooler room is better for sleep is because your body naturally lowers its temperature as you fall asleep. Our bodies have evolved to sleep optimally with cooler temperatures, which makes sense as temperatures naturally cool outside as we move closer to bedtime. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that we’ve evolved to function optimally in harmony with nature.
Consequently, temperatures between 70°F to 75°F (21.1°C – 23.9°C) promote insomnia so if you’ve been having trouble sleeping you should make sure you’re room temperature is set based on the science of sleep temperature.
Infants are delicate and if you’re a parent you need to ensure you baby is not too hot and not too cold. The ideal room temperature for babies is between 68°F to 72°F (20°C to 22°C). Babies are particularly prone to extreme temperatures, and high temperatures have been associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Many parents make the mistake of wrapping their baby in many layers of blankets. It’s essential that parents are aware of how extreme temperatures can impact the health of their baby.
The variety of dogs is immense so bear in mind that you need to do the proper research on your specific breed of dog in order to determine the correct thermostat settings. For example, a Husky can handle sub-zero temperatures with no problem so you can expect they’ll prefer cooler room temperature than a poodle.
On average, dogs are comfortable between 68°F to 86°F (20°C 30°C). This range is referred to as the thermoneutral zone which means, most dogs can comfortably maintain their natural core body temperature naturally, and does not require a change in metabolism to either stay warm or to cool down.
Note: There are variety of cat breeds, including hairless, so make sure you look up your exact species to determine the optimal room temperature for your cat. In general, cats are comfortable at higher room temperatures than humans as their internal normal temperature range is around 38°C to 39°C.
Ideal room temperature for an average cat is between 25°C and 32°C. Their natural body temperature is warmer than most people expect. Cats are able to remain relatively comfortable at temperatures between 15°C to 20°C but this is not their ideal comfort range. It’s important that you understand the ideal temperature range so you can make an informed decision as to where to set your thermostat for your cat(s).
This data should inform you to raise the room temperature if you prefer a warmer home. In the case with cats, warmer is always better than colder, within the range I’ve listed here. In other words, the safe range for cats is between 15°C to 30°C , but you should aim for a temperature of at least 20°C and somewhere between 25°C to 30°C is ideal. Knowing that cats can be comfortable up to around 30°C, and slightly higher, this allows you to find the temperature that is both comfortable for you and your cat. Another variable you can consider is having one room warmer with a portable heater on. This would allow you to keep the rest of your home cooler while providing your cat with a warmer room. By observing your cats behavior you can determine its preference.
These are general rules for the average cat, but if you have a unique breed of cats, like a hairless sphinx then you need to adjust your thermostat for the comfort of your breed.
The optimal temperature range for plants can be extreme, depending on what plants you decide to buy. On average, a good range for your thermostat is between 70°F to 80 °F during the day and 65°F to 70°F at night, according to the University of Georgia.
If you put aside energy savings as a factor in how you should set your thermostat, the truth is, most humans are comfortable between 68.5°F to 75°F (20.3 – 23.9°C). It’s really that simple. The only reason you get varying answers when seeking the answer to this question is simple —- the recommended thermostat settings are typically dictated by government agencies focused on promoting energy savings, but these numbers are misleading because they have an agenda behind them.
The question is: What is the ideal thermostat setting for human comfort? The question IS NOT: What is the best thermostat setting where I can save the most amount of money and not freeze to death in the winter, or overheat in the summer?
ASHRAE is an official organization that does the science and studies to determine the ideal room temperature. They do in-depth studies on humans in order to understand all of the variables that determine what makes humans feel comfortable. As you’d expect, everyone is different so there’s a range of temperatures that apply to the majority.
Science Concludes —
Ultimately, the correct thermostat setting is determined by what you’re the most comfortable at. There’s variation among all humans, but if you want some official numbers then I will go straight to the experts, also known as: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
In their latest report (ASHRAE 55-2020), they have concluded that for the “average thermal comfort” temperatures range from between approximately 68.5°F to 75°F (20.3 – 23.9°C) in the winter AND 75°F to 80.5°F (23.9 – 26.9°C) in the summer. The reason for the difference in temperature between summer and winter is because people dress warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The ASHRAE 55 standard also looks at comfort levels in public buildings and/or work environments, etc. At home, if you were to dress as you do in summer at home then the ideal thermostat setting would be between 68.5°F to 75°F.
Programmable Thermostats
If you don’t have a programmable thermostat already then you need to buy one. More specifically, you need to buy an Energy Star certified programmable thermostat which allows you to get a rebate depending on where you live. Visit the Energy Star site and scroll down a little, where you’ll find a place to enter your zip code to find out which rebate you are eligible for, like the image below.
A programmable thermostat will allow you set the thermostat temperature for every day of the week. Each day can be different so you can fully customize the thermostat to your liking. Some Energy Star thermostat’s like the Orbit 83521, already have been programmed with Energy Star settings to save you money right from the beginning. But, nowadays, all of the thermostat’s we recommend are easy to program.
When I was growing up technology was primitive and difficult to use. Three out of the four thermostats we recommend have an app that allow you to quickly and easily program it. It’s important to learn how to use your thermostat by reading the manual thoroughly. There’s no point in investing in a high-quality thermostat with plenty of energy saving features if you’re not going to learn how to use them. So, don’t be stubborn. Spend a little time to get acquainted with your new thermostat. In the long run it will save you thousands of dollars. Set it and forget it.
Thermostat Recommendations
NEST — Smart Thermostat
Features:
- Nest will automatically lower the temperature when you leave the house. There’s no benefit to heating or cooling an empty home; Savings Finder helps you optimize your settings and looks for ways to improve and save you money.
- Control from anywhere with the Google Home app
- Nest Renew makes it simple to support clean energy right from home
- Easy to install and use – Usually in 30 minutes or less; to change the temperature. Designed for usability.
- Voice Operated – Integrates with Hey Google on your phone and Nest speakers and displays; It also works with Alexa on other smart devices
- Nest Thermostat’s perfect match -The Nest Thermostat Trim Kit (sold separately) is designed to cover imperfections on the wall from removing your old thermostat, and comes in perfectly matched colors
- The Nest Thermostat is designed to work without a C wire in most homes, but for some systems, including heating-only, cooling-only, zone-controlled, and heat pump systems, you’ll need a C wire or other compatible power accessory
- Nest Renew works with your compatible Nest thermostat to help you automatically prioritize usage to when energy is cleaner or less expensive
✓ NOTE : Check the compatibility with your home heating system by visiting the Nest site.
Works with:
- Works with 85% of systems
- Some systems, including heating-only, cooling-only, zone-controlled, and heat pump systems require a Nest Power Connector or C wire
ecobee4 Smart thermostat Premium
Designed with embedded microphones with far-field voice recognition and a speaker engineered for clear voice and full sound. With built-in Alexa, you can speak directly to it and it responds to your commands.
Expansive Range of Features / Excellent Technology:
- Fine-tune your comfort with voice control: Smart Thermostat Premium has Alexa Built-in and can also be enabled with Siri. To enable Siri, simply pair with an Apple HomePod or HomePod mini to run your smart home, play and send texts, and find answers to all kinds of questions.
- Make intercom-style announcements: You can use your Smart Thermostat to send intercom messages to a HomePod mini or Alexa device in another room or throughout the house. Just say “Hey Siri, announce ‘The movie is starting’” or “Alexa, announce ‘It’s dinnertime.’”
- The smart thermostat made for music: Listen to your favorite playlists and podcasts on your thermostat with Spotify Connect and Amazon Music. Stream to a Bluetooth speaker for high-fidelity sound.
- What is eco+?: eco+ comes automatically enabled to unlock additional energy savings It works in the background to deliver maximum energy efficiency and comfort with minimal effort.
- Schedule Assistant
Learns your routine and recommends changes to your thermostat schedule to better match it. - Smart Home & Away: Uses Smart Thermostat’s built-in occupancy sensor to automatically adjust the temperature for energy savings when you leave home and restore your comfort settings when you return.
- Adjust Temperature for Humidity: Takes indoor humidity levels into account to ensure your home is energy efficient and always feels like the temperature you’ve set, no matter the humidity.
- Time of Use: Intelligently preheats or precools your home when electricity is cheaper and reduces usage when it’s expensive, saving you money and using cleaner energy.²
- Community Energy Savings: Makes slight temperature adjustments during times of peak energy demand in your community, consuming cleaner energy and reducing strain on the energy grid without sacrificing comfort.²
- Pause when Open: If a window or door is left open for 5 minutes ecobee will alert you and automatically pause your heating or cooling, saving you money while helping the environment. SmartSensor for doors and windows and an ecobee Smart Security subscription required to access this feature
- Breathe better with air quality monitoring: Unlock superior home health with a built-in air quality monitor that alerts you when air quality is poor and gives simple steps on how to improve it.
- Making air filters easy: Cleaner air is a beautiful thing with air filter change reminders and optional home delivery. ecobee Air Filter subscription required for home delivery.
- Remote Control: Controllable through many devices, like your Smartphone, Tablet or Apple Watch.
- Integrations: Works with preferred smart home systems like Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings and IFTTT.
- Multi-talented monitoring: The only home security option where your smart thermostat doubles as a hub to monitor, detect, and alert you to unexpected activity. *ecobee Smart Security plan required
- Outsmart intruders: ecobee home monitoring uses smart thermostat’s advanced sensor, Wi-Fi, and geofencing technology to understand when your home is empty or occupied. *ecobee Smart Security plan required
- Protect from fire: With a Smart Security subscription, your smart thermostat can detect the sound of a smoke alarm and notify you. *ecobee Smart Security plan required
- Energy Reports: Get a monthly savings report and compare your results to other homes in the area. It’s like an energy audit at no extra cost.
- Alerts & Reminders: The app notifies you of sudden temperature drops that could result in frozen or burst pipes and when the system needs maintenance.
- Smart Recovery: As Smart Thermostat gets to know your home’s heating and cooling patterns, it learns how long it takes to reach your desired temperature. If you routinely wake up at 6 a.m., Smart Recovery will start heating and cooling your home in advance so it’s comfortable when you wake up.
- Thermal Protect: Prevents your HVAC system from excessive runtime.
- AC Overcool to Dehumidify: will use your air conditioner to lower the indoor humidity to keep you cool and comfortable if you don’t have a dehumidifier.
- Supports two-stage heating and cooling: ecobee thermostats are optimized for one or two-stage heating and cooling equipment. Staging control lets you get the level of comfort you like while lowering energy use.
- Optimal Humidity: In homes with humidifiers, SmartThermostat regulates indoor humidity to prevent frost build-up on windows.
- Fan Dissipation: Smart Thermostat automatically runs the fan after a cycle to maximize heating, cooling, and dehumidification.
- Free Cooling: In homes with ventilators, Smart Thermostat uses outside air to cool down your home instead of the air conditioner when it recognizes the signs of a summer evening temperature drop.
Emerson Sensi (1F87U-42WF)
Features:
- Installs and operates like a standard thermostat when not connected to Wi-Fi
- App changes color to show if the system is heating or cooling
- Compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Echo and Wink
- Geofencing option and smart alerts
- Built-in dual fuel heat pump option Named the ‘Best Value’ smart thermostat of 2018 by USA Today’s Reviewed.com.
- SAVE ABOUT 23% ON HVAC ENERGY: The ENERGY STAR certified Sensi thermostat helps you save on your HVAC energy costs, with features like geofencing, 7-day flexible scheduling, remote access and energy usage reports.
- GET REBATES: Find utility rebates in your area through the rebate finder at sensi.emerson.com/rebates.
- MOST INSTALL IN 30 MINUTES OR LESS: With step-by-step instructions and video tutorials right in the mobile app, most people install Sensi in 30 minutes or less.
- EXTENSIVE COMPATIBILITY: Works with the HVAC equipment found in most homes – a c-wire is required for heat-only, cool-only and heat pump systems without aux.
- SMART HOME COMPATIBLE: Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit (c-wire required) and Wink smart home platforms.
- CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE: Remotely control your home comfort from your smartphone or tablet using the free Sensi mobile app for Android and iOS devices.
- SMART ALERTS: Sensi features smart alerts to help detect extreme temperature and humidity levels in your home.
Documents for the Emerson Sensi :
- View or download the PRO INSTALLATION GUIDE
- View or download the MANUAL OPERATION GUIDE
- View or download the INSTALLATION GUIDE
- View or download the NAVIGATION & SCHEDULING GUIDE
Compatibility :
*Visit the Emerson Sensi site to check for compatibility with your systems.
- Conventional – up to two stages of heating and two stages of cooling (2H/2C)
Heat Only and Cool Only - Heat Pump (With or Without Aux) – up to 4 stages of heating and two stages of cooling (4H/2C)
- Gas, Oil, Electric
- Geothermal and Dual-fuel
- This system type requires a common wire (c-wire). If you don’t have a c-wire, ‘Emerson
- Thermostat Common Wire Kit’ is available for purchase.
Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Color — RTH9585WF1004
Features:
- Wi-Fi enabled – control from anywhere: Works with Amazon Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately)
- Full-color, bright and customizable screen/match with surround decor
- Smart response technology allows for precision temperature control
- Automatic energy-saving settings that fit your life
- Daily weather forecast on-screen, 5 day forecast on app
- Access via app backed by Honeywell’s dependable network
- Help on demand – onscreen help button answers questions as you go
- Auto alerts ensure on-time filter changes; know about extreme temperatures
- Auto-updates for daylight savings; adjusts for 12/24-hour and multi-language needs
- Peace of mind – control energy use, ensures safe temps for pets, or keeps tabs away from home
- Quick schedule changes – update your settings for temporary holds or vacations; restore everyday settings in a snap
- Optional password protection allows only designated users to access the security settings and locking options.
- ENERGY STAR Certified
- Compatible with heating, cooling and heat pumps
- Does not work with heat pumps with electric baseboard heat (120-240 volts)
- System must contain a c-wire.
✓ View or download the USER GUIDE for the Honeywell RTH9585WF1004.
