Houses, Apartments… What is the Ideal Temperature for Heating your Home in Winter?
Depending on the accommodation, and the sensitivities of course, you do not always set your thermostat to the same temperature. And not all rooms have the same needs either
It’s hard to realize that, but autumn is definitely here. And with it, homes start again turn on the radiators. But between those who are cold and those who resist turning on the heating, which is expensive, let’s face it, not everyone agrees on the ideal temperature.
In any case, the ideal temperature does not really exist, since it differs depending on the room. And it’s not us who say it, it’s the electrical professionals. If the government encouraged French citizens to set their thermostat to 19°C maximum after the war in Ukraine and the rise in energy prices, this temperature is not necessarily the norm for all rooms in a home.
READ ALSO: Heating in France 2025: Which System Costs Least — Wood, Gas, Oil or Electricity?
Adapt according to parts… and needs
As the electricity supplier Engie points out, the temperatures for each room are adapted according to different characteristics. Ademe (Environment and Energy Management Agency) recommends adapting the temperature according to rooms and times of day, to combine comfort and economy, as follows:
Recommended temperature in the living rooms (living room, office, dining room…):
- 19 °C when they are busy
- 16 to 17 °C when they are unoccupied
Recommended temperature in the bedroom :
- 17 °C when unoccupied and at night
Recommended temperature in a child’s bedroom :
- 17 °C at night
- 19 °C when she is busy during the day
Recommended temperature in the bathroom:
- 22 °C when using it
- 16 to 17 °C the rest of the time
Engie even recommends settling the thermostat on 16° for the bedroom, whatever the occupation. “However, the ideal temperature of a house depends on each person’s feelings and lifestyle, of course”, recalls the energy supplier.
Ademe recommends that households equip themselves with’a programmable thermostat, to be able to adapt the heating temperature and save energy.
And in thermal strainers?
Some poorly insulated homes allow air to pass through and this can quickly become an igloo when winter comes. Several simple actions can stop infiltrations:
– Keep access doors to unheated rooms (pantry, hall, corridor…) closed.
– Insulate the door leading to the stairwell.
– Install thick curtains (thermal insulation type) in front of all your windows and don’t forget to close the shutters and draw the curtains every evening. Be careful not to cover the radiators though.
– Arrange door bottoms at the front door, access doors to the basement or pantry (but do not block circulation between heated rooms, essential for the proper functioning of ventilation).
– Check the tightness of windows and doors (exterior doors, access doors to the cellar, garage…) and, if necessary, install or reinstall insulating joints.
Health benefits of heating less
It is also possible, under certain conditions, to spend the winter at a temperature between 14 °C and 18 °C at home, and even turn off the heating, while feeling good, recalls Gaëtan Brisepierre, independent sociologist, École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (ENPC), in an article published on the site The Conversation.
Last winter, around fifteen families tried the adventure of the program Sober comfort, accompanied by an energy designer. This experiment gave rise to a sociological study and which will soon be the subject of a scientific publication”, explains the researcher.
The participants even highlighted better well-being linked to a cooler atmosphere: quality of sleep, less fatigue, reduction of winter illnesses… They also valued the autonomy gained by being less dependent on heating, and thus feel better prepared for future crises. So, are you ready to try it too?