You bought a new smart thermostat. You followed the installation instructions to the very last detail. Everything seems to be working just fine. Now you have to program it. What is the ideal temperature for maximum comfort? That depends on who you’re asking; the sweet spot you are looking for may differ from one family member to the next.
The Family Handyman website says that 68° is the ideal setting for winter while 78° is best for summer. Those numbers represent what are apparently the most comfortable temperatures to the widest range of people. But of course, we’re all different. Not only that, but our homes are also different too.
Warmer or Cooler Preferences
There are some people who just cannot seem to get warm in the winter. They could set the thermostat at 85° and still be cold, even with long pants and a heavy sweater. By the same token, someone else in the same household could wear shorts and a T-shirts with the winter temperature set at 68°. That person just doesn’t like heat.
The same extremes exist during summer cooling periods. A room set at 78° might feel too cold to one person but too warm to another. The question is how to satisfy everyone in the same household when their preferences vary so much. The first step is to compromise. Slowly adjust the thermostat up or down by one degree at a time until you find something everyone can live with.
Adjust the Clothes You Wear
Sometimes, temperature preferences are little more than an extension of clothing choices. Take multiple family members living in the same Nevada household during the heat of the summer. Older members still tend to wear long pants and heavy shirts. They might find 78° too warm.
By the same token, younger members of the household prefer shorts and tank tops. For them, 78° feels too cold. As long as both groups continue to dress the same way, there may be no finding a temperature both can live with. They may have to compromise on the way they dress first.
Consider Thermostat Location
Vivint, a home security and automation provider with operations all across the country, says that thermostat location could be a problem as well. A poorly located thermostat may give inaccurate readings. As a result, certain portions of the house could be warmer or cooler than they otherwise should be.
Did you install your new smart thermostat in one of the warmest rooms in the home? If so, other parts of the house may feel too cold in the winter and too warm in the summer. Why? Because a thermostat only measures the temperature of the room in which it is located.
Experts recommend against installing thermostats in rooms that get a lot of natural light. They say you should also avoid kitchens or rooms that are furthest away from the HVAC unit. Your best bet is to install your thermostat in the hallway as near to the HVAC system as possible.
Small, Incremental Changes
Finding the sweet spot for your smart thermostat may be a long, drawn out process. You might have to continually adjust over several days to find a temperature everyone can live with. If that’s the case, make your adjustments in small increments.
Incremental changes can help avoid the pendulum effect of swinging back and forth and never finding the sweet spot. Just a degree in either direction could be all you need to make everyone happy. Start with 78° in the summer and 68° in the winter and then work from there.