Maintaining the ideal home temperature

1. What temperature should your house be?

2. What temperature should a house be to save money?

3. What temperature should a bedroom be?

4. Maintaining the ideal home temperature

5. Most energy efficient thermostat settings

6. FAQs about home temperatures and heating

To stay warm, you should heat your home to a temperature that’s comfortable for you and other members of your household.

The NHS advises keeping your home at least 18°C, particularly in the rooms you use most. This may be too low for some people, including older adults and those with certain health conditions, so it’s important to choose a temperature that works for you and your household.

According to Energy Saving Trust, most people find 18°C to 21°C comfortable, with 18°C often recommended as a healthy minimum indoor temperature. For many households, this range works well for living spaces.

If you're unsure what temperature works best in your home, try gradually adjusting your thermostat over time. For example:

• Week one: 21°C

• Week two: 20°C

• Week three: 19°C

This can help you find a balance between comfort and energy efficiency that suits your household.

Reducing your thermostat setting is a simple way to save energy and money. According to Energy Saving Trust, lowering your heating from 22°C to 21°C could save you around £90 a year in Great Britain.

Lowering your thermostat can help cut energy use, but comfort and safety should come first. Many households aim for 18°C to 21°C, depending on comfort levels and how well the home is insulated. If your home feels cold or is expensive to heat, poor insulation may be the real issue, and improving it could be more effective than turning the heating down further.

If you want a clearer picture of how your heating affects your energy use, a smart meter can help. It shows how much energy you’re using and what it’s costing, so you can spot patterns, make informed choices and see how changes to your heating routine affect your bills.

The ideal temperature for sleeping is usually a little cooler than the temperature that feels comfortable during the day. After all, when you’re in bed, you’re likely under a duvet or blankets.

BBC Future suggests that the ideal bedroom temperature in the UK for sleeping is between 16°C and 18°C, and may be slightly higher for older adults.

If you’re finding it hard to keep your home at a comfortable temperature, a few practical changes can improve efficiency and help your heating system work more effectively. Here are some tips:

• Bleed your radiators on a regular basis. Regularly bleeding your radiators helps them run efficiently and heat your rooms more effectively.

• Avoid putting furniture in front of your radiators. If your sofa is right up against the radiator, it’ll block the heat, and your room won’t warm up as efficiently.

• Install radiator reflector panels behind your radiators, if they’re attached to an external wall. These panels reflect heat back into the room instead of letting it escape through the wall.

• Use thermostatic radiator valves to adjust the temperature in different rooms. This means you’re not heating unused spaces more than necessary. You can learn more about adjusting thermostatic radiator valves in our guide.

• Consider a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats can help you manage your heating more efficiently by adjusting schedules around your routine. Some also let you control your heating remotely from your smartphone.

• To prevent heat from escaping, make sure your home is well-insulated and draught-proofed. Good insulation makes it easier to keep your home warm in winter without overworking your heating.

• In the summer months, keep your home cool by opening windows when the air is cooler outside, closing blinds and curtains during the day, and spending time in cooler parts of the house.

For more tips on keeping your home warm efficiently, take a look at our page on how to heat your home efficiently.

The most energy-efficient thermostat setting depends on your household’s needs, how well your home is insulated, and when each room is in use.

If you’re looking for an ideal house temperature, UK households can use 18°C to 21°C as a helpful starting point.

However, many energy experts recommend:

Keeping your home at a comfortable temperature without overheating unused rooms can help reduce energy waste.