Although you want to enjoy comfort and energy efficiency in the summer and winter, keep in mind that too little or too much heat will cause health problems and damage your property. The ideal home temperature varies from one household to another. Here’s more on how you can avoid unhealthy heat in your home.
What’s the Ideal Home Temperature?
If you want to keep cool while saving energy in the summer, set your thermostat to 72 degrees when you’re home. Whenever you’re not at home or are asleep, consider increasing the temperature to between 78 and 80 degrees for even further savings. 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. You can decrease the indoor temperature to 55 degrees when there’s nobody home. Avoid reducing the temperature below 55 degrees in the winter, as that could cause problems like frozen pipes.
Important Considerations to Avoid Unhealthy Heat
Does your home have pets, chronically ill or elderly individuals, or a baby? You’ll need to consider their needs while programming your thermostat.
Your cats and dogs will thrive when the indoor temperatures are 69 to 78 degrees throughout the year. However, you can lower the temperature to 60 degrees or increase it to 80 degrees when away from home. Birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians need more consistent and warmer temperatures than dogs and cats. You can learn more about the safe temperatures for your furry, scaly, or feathery family members from your vet.
It’s challenging for babies and chronically ill or elderly individuals to regulate body temperature. The best nursery temperature to keep a baby healthy and comfortable is between 68 and 72 degrees. For chronically ill or elderly individuals, the ideal home temperature ranges from 68 to 74 degrees. Anything outside that range is unhealthy heat.
Besides maintaining the ideal home temperature for your household, upgrading your HVAC unit and thermostat and having the HVAC system serviced will give you more control over comfort and energy efficiency and help you avoid unhealthy heat. For any heating and cooling services in the Dayton area, contact the HVAC experts at Ace Hardware Home Services.
