What Temperature Should a House Be

What temperature should a house be? Apparently, it looks like a simple question, but the answer may not be straightforward, as it involves multiple considerations. Maintaining a home at the appropriate temperature is not just about comfort; it also requires thoughtful consideration of health, energy costs, and the building's energy efficiency. It also depends heavily on weather conditions.

However, comfort remains the core consideration in keeping a home at a perfectly suitable temperature, especially in Countries like the UK, where the weather can be extremely cold in winter and unexpectedly hot in summer. This fluctuation in weather makes it quite tricky to maintain the room temperature within a comfortable range while keeping in mind a variety of other important considerations, such as the age and health conditions of the family members.

That means you cannot keep your home at a predetermined temperature year-round; you need to adjust as the weather changes. Similarly, not every part of a home can be kept at the same temperature. While bedrooms can be kept at relatively lower temperatures, a living room needs a higher temperature to maintain warmth.

Keep reading this blog to learn everything you need to know about the ideal temperature for your home.

Importance of Maintaining Correct Temperature in Homes

Maintaining a home at an appropriate temperature is highly important, as it directly affects the occupants' health. Apart from it, maintaining the home at a correct temperature also has other implications.

Here is a summary of different factors that make it important to keep a home at the correct temperature:

Health of the Occupants

Health should always be the priority. Heating and maintaining the right temperature in a home's bedrooms and living areas is directly related to your family's health. While a cold internal environment can pose serious health issues, a higher temperature can be even more dangerous. 

An incorrect temperature may lead to serious health issues as follows:

• Respiratory Diseases - When room temperature falls below optimal levels, it can trigger respiratory diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis, especially among those who are vulnerable to these conditions. Cold temperatures lead to dampness and fungal growth, which in turn trigger respiratory illnesses. Older people are more susceptible to such issues. 
• Circulatory Diseases – A too-cold environment in a living room may cause circulatory diseases, especially among older people. People living in a home maintained at a temperature lower than 16°C are often caught by cardiovascular and mental diseases.
• Disturbance in the Immune System – A colder internal environment can severely affect the immune system of humans. Prolonged exposure to a colder environment may further aggravate the problem.
• Skin Problems – In both cases, whether the internal temperature is too high or too low, the skin is often the first victim. Children and elderly people are more susceptible to this problem. 

Lower Energy Efficiency and Higher Energy Bill 

Variation in a home's internal temperature is directly related to energy efficiency and cost. Experts say that increasing indoor temperature by just 1 degree can increase the monthly energy bill by 10%. So, keeping your living room at 20°C rather than 18°C may result in a considerable increase in your annual energy costs.

Damage to Building 

The indoor temperature also affects the building itself. Too cold a temperature may cause condensation and dampness. Pipes may also freeze in such conditions. On the other hand, too high temperatures may cause cracks in roofs and walls. So, maintaining a proper indoor temperature can go a long way toward protecting your home's structure and other installations.

What Should be the Temperature in a Home?

According to health experts and heating engineers, ideally, a UK home should be maintained at a temperature between 18°C and 21°C. 

Here is a breakdown of the recommendations from different authorities:

• Public Health England (PHE) – PHE recommended that living rooms in the UK be kept at 18°C. It is the best range for comfort and maintaining good health.
• World Health Organization (WHO) – According to WHO, 18°C is the right temperature for adults and healthy people. However, for kids, elderly persons, and those with known health issues, the home temperature should be maintained between 20°C and 22°C.
• Energy Saving Trust (EST) – As per EST’s recommendations, if a home is kept consistently at a lower temperature, e.g., below 16°C, occupants are more likely to contract respiratory diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis. The vulnerable people are susceptible to these conditions.

Ideal Temperatures for Different Parts of a Home

Not every part of the home can be kept at the same temperature; each room has different requirements. Accordingly, the ideal temperature of different rooms and areas within a home is recommended as follows:

• Bedrooms – The Ideal temperature range is 16°C to 18°C, depending on your preference. 
• Living Areas/rooms – The ideal temperature range for living rooms is 18°C to 21°C, as families often spend a lot of time in this area. So, ideally try to maintain at 20°C.
• Hallways/Staircases – These parts of the home should be maintained at relatively lower temperatures, between 15°C and 18°C, as they are not used as often.
• Bathrooms – Keep them at a higher temperature to maintain a comfortable atmosphere after bathing. So, keep them at 22°C to 24°C.
• Kitchen – Since a kitchen naturally heats up from cooking appliances, it is better to keep the internal temperature at 18°C.

Variations/Adjustments 

Some minor adjustments and variations may be required in different seasons, as well as for people of different age groups and with known medical conditions: 

• Winter Season – During the winter season, homes should be consistently maintained at a minimum temperature of 18°C. It helps protect from health issues. However, the required temperature can be automated, using thermostats and auto-timers, while keeping 18°C as a benchmark.
• Summer – While heating during summer is not required, you need to ensure proper ventilation. A temperature not more than 24°C is considered ideal for homes in summer.
• Old Aged People – The elderly are often susceptible to colder environments. In such cases, the ideal temperature for a home might be 20°C to 22°C.
• Kids and Young Children – For households with infants and young children, ideally, the indoor temperature should be maintained at 20°C to 22°C.
• People with Health Problems – In households with people with known health problems, especially those with respiratory diseases, the indoor environment should be kept relatively warm, maintaining a temperature above 20°C.

How to Maintain the Right Indoor Temperature

The internal temperature of a home can be efficiently maintained at the perfect degree, with prudent usage of various gadgets:

1. Smart Thermostats are quite effective in maintaining the desired indoor temperature. A smart thermostat can learn your preferences and automatically adjust the heating. You can also operate it through your mobile devices, connected with the integrated central heating system of your home.
2. You can divide your home into different heat zones to maintain the perfect temperature in each part of your home, as required. It can be done by installing thermostatic radiator valves (TRV). So, you can adjust separate temperature ranges for bedrooms, living areas, and so on. 
3. Proper insulation can play a vital role in maintaining heating throughout your home. Keep lofts, walls, and floors well-insulated to enhance your home's energy efficiency.
4. Proper use of curtains and blinds is also important. Keeping them open during the day lets in direct sunlight, whereas closing them at night helps preserve the internal heat.
5. The boiler needs proper maintenance and timely servicing. Make sure to have your boiler serviced annually, especially before winter. It helps a lot to keep the home perfectly heated throughout the colder season. Similarly, the radiators often need bleeding to prevent an airlock. Doing so at the right time, as needed, increases the heating system's efficiency.

Conclusion

Maintaining a perfect internal temperature, especially during winter, is quite important. During the extremely cold season in the UK, heating a home is a basic requirement. It is directly associated with your family's health, especially the kids' and the elderly's. It is also crucial for those with known medical disabilities and vulnerabilities. So, keeping your home perfectly heated is something you cannot avoid.

But what is the perfect and correct temperature a home should be kept at is one of the most important questions. Generally, a home in winter can be maintained at a temperature ranging between 18°C and 21°C, based on various factors. You may need to make adjustments based on your requirements. Infants, young ones, and elderly people: you may adjust the temperature to a higher setting. The same applies to people with known medical problems.