Getting your thermostat to the right temperature can be a bit of a science. Not too hot, not too cold, we’re all a little guilty of the goldilocks syndrome from time to time. However, a recent government agency report detailed what the ideal temperature in your home should be. Energy Star, a program of the federal government’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency, stated that for maximum comfort, leave your thermostat at seventy-eight. Eighty-two while sleeping. They said what? But really? What’s the ideal temperature for humans?
The Human Body is Constantly Putting off Heat
Jefferey W. Walker, a physiology professor at The University of Arizona, explains. “The Human body is like an engine that continually generates large quantities of heat, and its radiator, so to speak, disperses heat least effectively in hotter climes.” The human body is consistently generating heat through internal processes, including contracting the heart and other organs’ muscles. So, at what temperature does the human body perform at its peak? Seventy degrees.
What does that Mean for Me?
Seventy degrees might be a little closer to the Energy Stars suggestions for the wintertime, going on to dictate the recommendation of a cool sixty-eight indoors. A stark contrast to their direction of seventy-eight in the warmer months. What if you can’t stand those temperatures? You’re not alone. There was a minor public outcry over the well-meaning guidance, with one reporter stating she would melt. Energy costs are also a cause for concern.
Energy Prices have Gone Up
Energy prices have taken a steep incline in the last ten years, raised by what some experts account for about a fifteen percent increase. There is a difference in the cost of service dependent upon where you live. For instance, Electric bills in Oregon have gone up significantly, by about forty percent. Whereas in Florida, where residents experience some of the country’s highest temperatures, their plans have barely changed. The trend for higher prices is sure to continue.
Go to Lee AC and Heat for all of your Heat and Air Needs
Natural gas prices in this country will rise. Electric bills will continue to go up. Whether you agree with it or not, one way to combat this issue is to heed Energy Star’s recommendations to regulate your home’s temperature. Whether you keep your home at seventy, sixty-eight, or eighty-eight is entirely up to you.
Just remember to get out more blankets in the wintertime, and wear breathable clothes in the summertime, and you’ll be good to go. For all your heating and air needs visit Lee AC and Heating.