The best thermostat setting starts with what feels comfortable to you. In this video, Grant explains why comfort preferences differ and why a more extreme setting is not always the answer when your home is not reaching the temperature you want.
Start with comfort, then consider the system
Grant does not prescribe one temperature for every household. He notes that preferences can change with age, the season, and what your body has become accustomed to. The setting you enjoy early in the cooling season may feel different later in the summer.
As practical limits in his own advice, he cautions against cooling much below 68°F or heating much above 74°F. These numbers describe Grant’s comfort guidance in the video; they are not a required range or a guarantee of how every HVAC system will perform.
A lower setting does not solve a cooling limitation
Grant gives a useful example: if the air conditioner is only bringing the house down to 70°F, setting the thermostat to 68°F does not by itself make the system capable of getting there. The gap between the requested temperature and the actual temperature is information worth paying attention to.
Rather than repeatedly choosing a lower number, note whether the system is reaching its setting and discuss that performance with an HVAC technician. The video does not diagnose a particular cause for a system that falls short.
What to take away
Choose a setting that suits your household, and watch how the equipment responds. If comfort remains difficult to maintain, contact Darnold & Lyons to discuss what your system is doing and whether it needs an assessment.
