What temperature should you set your heating to so you don't get cold without breaking the bank ?

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Winter is here and with it comes the eternal question of how to adjust the heating. This year more than ever, with soaring energy prices, it is crucial to find the right balance between a comfortable temperature and controlled consumption. Because if no one wants to chatter their teeth under their duvet, no one wants to see their energy bill explode either.

The minimum temperature to preserve according to the WHO

The experts of theThe World Health Organization are formal: cold in a home represents a real danger to health. Temperatures that are too low cause inflammation of the lungs and significantly increase the risk of respiratory infections. The circulatory system also suffers, as the low temperature causes vasoconstriction that puts the body to the test.

For healthy adults living in countries with a temperate climate, the WHO sets the minimum threshold at 18 °C. Below that, the health risks become real. This recommendation even rises to 22-24 °C for vulnerable people such as the elderly, babies or the chronically ill during the day, and 18-20 °C at night.

The ideal compromise between comfort and energy savings

But beyond these vital minimums, what is the ideal temperature to feel good at home without blowing up your bill ? The Institute for Energy Savings and Energy Diversification provides a precise answer, based on standardized ergonomic criteria. For optimal comfort combined with reasonable consumption, the thermostat should display between 21 and 23 °C during the day, and drop to 15-17 °C at night.

Be careful not to give in to the temptation to turn the heating up above 23°C. Not only will the air become drier and less comfortable, but your wallet will suffer seriously. Each additional degree compared to the optimal temperature results in a 5 to 10% increase in energy consumption. A difference that can quickly weigh heavily on the monthly bill.

A setting adapted to each room to optimize its consumption

The ideal temperature varies significantly depending on the rooms and their use. The bathroom requires a special approach: rather than overheating the entire house, it is better to opt for a towel dryer which will have a dual purpose here. A solution that allows you to quickly gain a few degrees only when necessary, for example before getting out of the shower.

The kitchen also deserves special attention. Between the heat given off by cooking appliances and the presence of refrigeration equipment that works better when cool, a lower temperature of around 18°C ​​is perfectly suitable. Not to mention that we generally spend less time there than in other living areas.

The living room, the central room where we spend the most time in sedentary activity, can be kept at a slightly higher temperature than average. The bedrooms, for their part, tolerate a cooler temperature well, particularly at night when a cooler atmosphere promotes quality sleep.

The ideal remains to install heating systems that can be adjusted independently in each room. If you have a single thermostat for the entire home, make sure to place it in a central area with average traffic to obtain a representative measurement of the average temperature in your home.

• Never go below 18°C ​​to protect your health
• The ideal temperature is between 21 and 23°C during the day and 15-17°C at night
• Adapt the heating room by room according to their use: cooler in the kitchen and bedrooms, warmer in the living room and temporarily in the bathroom

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