The thermostat setting that feels perfect at noon may leave you chilly at bedtime—or send your energy bill climbing for no good reason. A good starting point is 68°F (20°C) in winter while you’re home and awake, and 78°F (26°C) in summer while you’re home. Those are practical guideposts, not rules you have to follow. Your comfort, health, home, and local weather all matter.
Table of Contents
Recommended thermostat settings for comfort
There isn’t one temperature that feels comfortable to every person. Still, a few well-tested starting points can help you stay comfortable without heating or cooling an empty home. Adjust them a degree or two at a time and give your body and your home a chance to respond.
| Situation | Suggested setting | Why it can work |
|---|---|---|
| Winter, home and awake | About 68°F (20°C) | A practical balance between warmth and energy use |
| Winter, asleep or away | Lower than your daytime setting, if safe and comfortable | Less heating is needed while you’re under blankets or out |
| Summer, home and awake | About 78°F (26°C) | A common starting point that avoids overcooling |
| Summer, asleep or away | Raise the setting, or use a schedule | Your system can run less when cooling isn’t needed as much |
These numbers describe the temperature measured near your thermostat. A sunny room, drafty window, upstairs bedroom, or poorly insulated addition may feel quite different. If one room is uncomfortable while the rest of the home feels fine, changing the whole-house setting may not solve the real problem.
What temperature should you set the thermostat to in winter?
For many households, 68°F (20°C) while people are home and awake is a sensible place to start. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends setting the thermostat as low as is comfortable in winter. Wearing a sweater or using a throw can make a slightly lower setting feel cozy, while reducing how often the heating system has to run.
That doesn’t mean you should force yourself to be cold. Try lowering the setting by one degree and see how it feels over a full day. Small adjustments are easier to judge than a sudden change of five or six degrees, especially if you’re used to a warmer home.
Lower the setting when you’re asleep or away
When you’re asleep under blankets or out of the house, you may not need the same warmth as you do while sitting still in the evening. A programmable thermostat can lower the temperature on a schedule and bring it back up before you wake or return. For example, you might set a lower temperature overnight and schedule the home to warm up before your alarm.
A setback is useful because your furnace or boiler doesn’t need to maintain your preferred daytime temperature all night. The exact savings vary with the weather, your insulation, heating system, and how long the temperature stays lower. The Department of Energy says adjusting the setting by about 7–10°F for eight hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling, though your results may differ.
You usually don’t need to crank the thermostat far above your preferred temperature to warm the home faster. Most systems heat at a fairly steady rate, so setting it to 80°F when you want 68°F generally won’t make the room reach 68°F sooner. It can, however, make it easier to overshoot and use more heat than you intended.
What temperature should you set the thermostat to in summer?
About 78°F (26°C) while you’re home is a common energy-conscious starting point for summer. If that feels too warm, lower it gradually until you find a setting that works for you. If you’re comfortable at a higher temperature with a fan, there’s no need to cool the entire home more than you want.
When you leave, consider raising the setting rather than cooling an empty house to your usual comfort level. A schedule can do this automatically. Just avoid changes that create a health or safety concern for people, pets, or sensitive belongings in the home.
Humidity can change how warm a room feels
Temperature is only part of summer comfort. When indoor air is humid, sweat evaporates more slowly, so your body may feel warmer even if the thermostat shows a reasonable temperature. If the house feels sticky, check that bathroom and kitchen fans are venting properly, fix obvious moisture problems, and make sure your air conditioner is operating as it should.
A ceiling or portable fan can also help by moving air across your skin. Fans cool people, not empty rooms, so turn them off when you leave. You may then be able to keep the thermostat a little higher without feeling less comfortable.
How to choose the right setting for your household
Start with the general recommendations, then adjust for the people and rooms in your home. Comfort can differ with age, activity, clothing, health, and personal preference. Someone sitting quietly at a desk may feel colder than someone cooking or moving around.
- Consider health and age. Infants, older adults, and people with certain health conditions may be more sensitive to cold or heat. Follow advice from a healthcare professional when temperature is a health concern.
- Account for pets and plants. If you raise the temperature while away in summer or lower it in winter, make sure the indoor conditions remain appropriate for anything living at home.
- Think about the whole home. A thermostat in a sunny hallway may read warmer than a shaded bedroom. Use a room thermometer to check whether the reading reflects the spaces where you spend time.
- Make changes gradually. Adjust by one or two degrees, then give the system time to run and the room time to settle before changing it again.
For example, if your living room is comfortable at 68°F but a bedroom feels cold, first check for a closed or blocked vent, a draft, or a thick layer of dust on the filter. Raising the thermostat might heat the living room more without fixing the chilly bedroom. If uneven temperatures happen often, your ductwork, insulation, or system may need attention.
Thermostat settings and different heating systems
Most conventional furnaces and boilers can follow a regular setback schedule. Heat pumps need a little more thought. Some systems rely on auxiliary or backup heat when they have to recover quickly from a large temperature drop, and that backup heat can cost more to run. If you have a heat pump, use the manufacturer’s guidance or ask an HVAC professional how much setback suits your model.
A smart thermostat may offer schedules, remote control, and learning features, but it won’t fix every comfort issue by itself. Look for a model that works with your heating and cooling equipment, especially if you have a heat pump, multistage system, or separate heating and cooling zones. A simple programmable thermostat can be a good choice if all you need is a dependable schedule.
Make sure the thermostat is getting a fair reading
Thermostat location affects when your system turns on and off. If the device is next to a sunny window, near a cooking appliance, in a draft, or directly above a supply vent, its reading may not represent the average temperature of your home. That can lead to rooms feeling uncomfortable even when the displayed number looks right.
Keep furniture and curtains from blocking airflow around the thermostat. Replace its batteries if the display calls for it, and check your HVAC filter on the schedule recommended for your system and filter type. A clogged filter can restrict airflow, making the system work harder and sometimes leaving rooms less comfortable.
If the thermostat reading differs from a separate thermometer, compare them after both have been in the same spot for a while. A small difference may be normal; a large or persistent mismatch is worth checking. Don’t open or rewire a thermostat unless you know how to work safely with that equipment.
Common thermostat mistakes to avoid
- Setting an extreme temperature to speed things up. It usually won’t make heating or cooling happen faster, and you may forget to change it back.
- Making frequent adjustments. Constant changes make it harder to tell which setting is comfortable and can defeat a schedule that would otherwise help.
- Ignoring humidity or drafts. A room can feel uncomfortable even when the thermostat setting is reasonable. Find the cause rather than relying only on a lower summer setting or a higher winter one.
- Using the same schedule for every day. If you work from home some days or return at different times, adjust the schedule to match your routine.
In winter, don’t lower the temperature so far that you risk frozen pipes. The risk depends on outdoor conditions, insulation, pipe location, and how long the home remains cold. If you’ll be away during freezing weather, follow local plumbing or home-insurance guidance and consider asking a professional what’s safe for your property.
Read more related posts:
- How to reduce noise from a bathroom ventilation fan? quieter home
- Easy Tips on How to Clean Bidet Spray Nozzles Naturally at Home
- Which Side Should a Shower Door Open On? The Expert Rules
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 68°F a good thermostat setting in winter?
It’s a useful starting point for many people when they’re home and awake, but comfort varies. Try it, then adjust a degree or two based on how the rooms feel and who lives in the home.
Is 78°F too warm for air conditioning?
Not necessarily. It’s a common summer starting point, but your comfort depends on humidity, airflow, activity, and personal preference. A fan may help the room feel cooler without lowering the thermostat.
Should I turn my thermostat off when I leave?
Usually, it’s better to adjust the setting rather than switch heating or cooling off completely. Keep conditions safe for people, pets, pipes, and belongings, and use a schedule if you’re away at predictable times.
Does changing the thermostat a lot save energy?
Changing it when you’re asleep or away can reduce energy use, but constant manual adjustments aren’t necessary. A sensible schedule is easier to maintain. Heat-pump owners should check guidance for their specific system before using a large setback.
Conclusion
As a starting point, try 68°F (20°C) in winter while you’re home and awake and 78°F (26°C) in summer. Lower the heating or raise the cooling setting when the home is empty or you’re asleep, as long as everyone and everything stays safe and comfortable.
The best thermostat temperature is the one that works for your household without making your system do unnecessary work. Adjust gradually, pay attention to humidity and room-to-room differences, and use a schedule that fits your actual routine.
